CVE-2019-8096 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.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2020
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that affects multiple version ranges including 2019.012.20035 and earlier, 2017.011.30142 and earlier, 2017.011.30143 and earlier, and 2015.006.30497 and earlier. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, specifically representing an out-of-bounds read condition where the application fails to properly validate array indices before accessing memory locations. The flaw occurs when processing maliciously crafted pdf files that contain improperly validated array access operations, allowing attackers to read memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the pdf parsing libraries that handle document objects and their associated data structures. When a malicious pdf file is opened, the application attempts to access array elements using indices that exceed the allocated memory boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive data from adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1557.001 for remote access tools, as exploitation could lead to information disclosure that might reveal system memory contents, user credentials, or other sensitive information. The out-of-bounds read vulnerability represents a fundamental memory safety issue that can be exploited to extract confidential information from the application's memory space, potentially including encryption keys, user session data, or other system information. Attackers typically craft malicious pdf documents containing specially formatted arrays or object structures that trigger the vulnerable code path during document parsing operations. The exploitation process requires the user to open the malicious document, making this a client-side attack vector that can be delivered through phishing campaigns or compromised websites. The information disclosure risk associated with this vulnerability makes it particularly concerning as it could expose sensitive data that might be used for further attacks or system compromise. Organizations should prioritize patching affected versions to prevent exploitation, as the vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild. The security implications extend beyond simple data exposure, as the leaked memory contents could potentially include pointers, stack addresses, or other information that might aid in developing more sophisticated attacks. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory boundary checking in document processing applications, as pdf files can contain complex structured data that requires robust parsing mechanisms to prevent such memory safety issues. The affected product versions represent a significant attack surface given the widespread use of Adobe Acrobat and Reader across enterprise environments, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in organizational contexts where pdf documents are frequently exchanged and processed.