CVE-2019-8077 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions, 2019.012.20035 and earlier, 2019.012.20035 and earlier, 2017.011.30142 and earlier, 2017.011.30143 and earlier, 2017.011.30142 and earlier, 2015.006.30497 and earlier, and 2015.006.30498 and earlier have an out-of-bounds read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2020
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that affects multiple version ranges including 2019.012.20035, 2017.011.30142, 2017.011.30143, and 2015.006.30497 and 2015.006.30498. This vulnerability falls under CWE-129, which represents improper validation of array index bounds, and specifically manifests as an out-of-bounds read condition within the PDF parsing functionality. The flaw occurs when the applications process maliciously crafted PDF documents that contain malformed array structures or improper index references during document parsing operations. When an attacker crafts a PDF file with carefully constructed array indices that exceed the allocated memory boundaries, the application attempts to read data from memory locations beyond the intended array limits. This behavior can result in the disclosure of sensitive information from adjacent memory regions, potentially including stack contents, heap data, or other application memory segments that may contain credentials, encryption keys, or other confidential information. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through social engineering tactics where users open malicious PDF files, making it a significant threat vector in targeted attacks. The out-of-bounds read vulnerability provides attackers with the ability to extract information that could aid in further exploitation attempts, including bypassing memory protection mechanisms such as address space layout randomization. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for execution through PDF-based payloads and T1566 for initial access via malicious documents. The impact of successful exploitation extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked memory contents could contain application state information, cryptographic material, or other sensitive data that could be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. Organizations should prioritize patching affected versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader to prevent exploitation, as the vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise security infrastructure and could enable attackers to conduct reconnaissance activities against internal systems. The flaw underscores the importance of proper input validation in document processing applications and highlights the need for robust memory safety mechanisms in widely deployed software components that handle untrusted data inputs.