CVE-2019-8162 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions , 2019.012.20040 and earlier, 2017.011.30148 and earlier, 2017.011.30148 and earlier, 2015.006.30503 and earlier, and 2015.006.30503 and earlier have a race condition vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution .
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2024
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a race condition vulnerability that exists in multiple versions including 2019.012.20040 and earlier, 2017.011.30148 and earlier, and 2015.006.30503 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of file operations during the processing of pdf documents, creating a window of opportunity where malicious actors can exploit timing discrepancies in the application's file handling mechanisms. The race condition occurs when the software attempts to access or modify files while another process is simultaneously interacting with the same resources, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential security breaches. This flaw falls under the CWE-362 category of race conditions, which represents a well-known class of vulnerabilities where the correctness of a program depends on the relative timing of competing threads or processes. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it can be exploited to achieve arbitrary code execution, allowing attackers to run malicious code with the privileges of the targeted user. This type of vulnerability is classified as a privilege escalation vector in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique T1068, which covers "Local Privilege Escalation" through race conditions and other timing-based exploits. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to bypass security controls, access sensitive information, or establish persistent access to affected systems. Attackers typically exploit such race conditions by carefully crafting malicious pdf files that trigger the vulnerable code path during document processing, often leveraging the fact that these applications automatically process embedded content without user interaction. The vulnerability affects not only the end-user experience but also represents a significant threat to enterprise security, as it can be leveraged in targeted attacks against organizations using these widely deployed applications. Organizations running affected versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest versions, implementing application whitelisting policies, and deploying additional security controls to prevent exploitation attempts. The race condition vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper resource management and thread synchronization in security-sensitive applications, as even seemingly minor timing issues can result in severe security implications. This vulnerability highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of file processing functions and proper implementation of atomic operations to prevent attackers from exploiting temporal inconsistencies in application behavior.