CVE-2019-8172 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 an out-of-bounds read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure .
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2024
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that affects multiple version ranges including 2019.012.20040 and earlier, 2017.011.30148 and earlier, and 2015.006.30503 and earlier. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, specifically representing an insufficient input validation scenario where the software fails to properly validate array indices before accessing memory locations. The flaw occurs when processing maliciously crafted pdf documents that contain improperly validated array access operations, leading to memory access violations that can be exploited by remote attackers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the pdf parsing engine of Adobe Reader and Acrobat products. When the application processes a specially crafted pdf file containing malformed array references, the parsing logic does not properly validate the array indices against the actual array size limits. This allows attackers to manipulate the application's memory access patterns and potentially read data from memory locations outside the intended array boundaries. The out-of-bounds read operation can expose sensitive information from the application's memory space, including potentially confidential data, stack contents, or memory addresses that could aid in further exploitation attempts.
From an operational perspective, successful exploitation of CVE-2019-8172 can result in information disclosure that may lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract potentially valuable information from the memory of affected applications, which could include user credentials, system information, or other confidential data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited remotely through malicious pdf files delivered via email attachments, web downloads, or other attack vectors. This makes it a significant risk for enterprise environments where users frequently open pdf documents from untrusted sources.
Security practitioners should implement multiple layers of defense to protect against exploitation of this vulnerability. The primary mitigation strategy involves applying the latest security patches and updates provided by Adobe, which address the underlying bounds checking issues in the pdf parsing components. Additionally, organizations should implement strict pdf document filtering and sandboxing mechanisms to prevent automatic execution of potentially malicious content. Network-based protections such as web application firewalls and email security appliances can help detect and block suspicious pdf file attachments. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1204.002 (User Execution: Malicious File) and T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript) as attackers often leverage pdf files to deliver malicious JavaScript payloads that can trigger this vulnerability during document rendering operations.