CVE-2019-8198 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 resides in the handling of PDF documents and represents a classic memory safety issue that falls under CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions. The flaw occurs when the software processes malformed PDF files that contain specially crafted data structures, leading to memory access violations that can be exploited by attackers to read data beyond the intended buffer boundaries. This particular vulnerability is of significant concern as it can be leveraged to extract sensitive information from the application's memory space, potentially exposing confidential data, system internals, or other protected resources. The exploitation mechanism typically involves crafting a malicious PDF document that triggers the out-of-bounds read condition during document parsing, which can then be used to disclose memory contents to an attacker. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a substantial risk for organizations that rely heavily on PDF processing, as it can be exploited through social engineering attacks where users open malicious documents, or through automated exploitation in web-based environments where PDF documents are rendered. The attack surface is particularly broad given that Adobe Acrobat and Reader are widely deployed across enterprise environments and are frequently used to handle sensitive documents. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and control communications and T1566 for spearphishing attachments, as it can be delivered through malicious PDF files. Organizations should prioritize patching all affected versions as the vulnerability can potentially lead to information disclosure that may aid in further attacks, including privilege escalation or lateral movement within compromised networks. The remediation strategy should include immediate deployment of patches from Adobe, along with network monitoring for suspicious PDF file access patterns and user behavior analytics to detect potential exploitation attempts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the PDF parsing engine of Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications. When processing PDF content, the software fails to properly validate array indices or buffer sizes before accessing memory locations, allowing attackers to manipulate input data to cause the application to read memory beyond its intended boundaries. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited without requiring elevated privileges, making it accessible to attackers who simply need to convince a user to open a malicious document. The out-of-bounds read condition can be triggered during various PDF parsing operations including but not limited to image processing, font handling, or metadata extraction. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as it can potentially reveal memory layout information, which attackers can use to bypass security mechanisms such as address space layout randomization or stack canaries. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability can be chained with other exploits to create more sophisticated attack vectors, particularly in environments where Adobe Reader is used in conjunction with other applications that may be vulnerable to similar memory corruption issues. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version lines demonstrates a persistent flaw in Adobe's codebase that requires careful attention to prevent exploitation across different deployment scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-8198 should encompass both immediate technical fixes and broader security posture improvements. Organizations must prioritize updating all affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations to the latest patched versions, as Adobe has released security updates specifically addressing this vulnerability. Network administrators should implement content filtering solutions that can detect and block suspicious PDF files, particularly those with unusual or malformed structures that may trigger the vulnerability. Additionally, implementing user education programs about the risks of opening PDF attachments from untrusted sources can significantly reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation through social engineering attacks. The implementation of sandboxing technologies for PDF processing can provide an additional layer of protection by isolating the vulnerable application from critical system resources. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, including unusual network traffic patterns, memory dumps, or system calls that may indicate exploitation attempts. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability may impact organizations that must adhere to standards such as iso 27001, which requires maintaining up-to-date security controls and addressing known vulnerabilities in a timely manner. The vulnerability's classification as an information disclosure issue means that organizations should also consider implementing data loss prevention solutions to monitor for potential data exfiltration attempts that could result from exploitation of this flaw. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should include checks for this specific vulnerability to ensure that all affected systems have been properly patched and that no legacy installations remain unpatched.