CVE-2019-8219 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 use after free vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution .
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-8219 represents a critical use after free flaw affecting multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software. This vulnerability manifests in versions including but not limited to 2019.012.20040 and earlier, 2017.011.30148 and earlier, and 2015.006.30503 and earlier, creating a significant security risk for users of these applications. The flaw resides in the memory management handling of certain objects within the software's processing pipeline, specifically when dealing with document parsing operations that involve complex data structures and embedded content. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category of use after free conditions, where memory that has been freed is still accessed or referenced by the application, creating a dangerous state that can be exploited by malicious actors. The root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper object lifecycle management within Adobe's document processing engine, particularly when handling untrusted input from PDF files that contain crafted malicious content designed to trigger the memory corruption.
The exploitation of this use after free vulnerability can result in arbitrary code execution on the targeted system, providing attackers with a powerful privilege escalation vector. When a malicious PDF file is opened and processed by the vulnerable Adobe application, the flawed memory management causes the application to access freed memory locations that have been overwritten with attacker-controlled data. This memory corruption can be leveraged to overwrite function pointers, return addresses, or other critical program data structures, allowing an attacker to redirect program execution flow and ultimately execute malicious code with the privileges of the victim user. The attack typically requires the user to open a specially crafted PDF file, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or when users encounter malicious documents in legitimate business contexts. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code on victim systems, and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, as the executed code can include command execution capabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-8219 extends beyond simple code execution to potentially enable full system compromise and persistent access. Once successfully exploited, attackers can establish backdoors, escalate privileges, and maintain long-term presence on the compromised system while evading detection mechanisms. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Adobe Reader installations across multiple versions, making it particularly dangerous as organizations often have legacy systems running older versions of the software. This widespread impact is compounded by the fact that PDF files are commonly used in business environments, educational institutions, and government agencies, creating numerous potential attack vectors. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face significant risk of data breaches, intellectual property theft, and unauthorized system access. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it an attractive target for threat actors conducting large-scale campaigns. The memory corruption characteristics of this vulnerability also make it particularly challenging to detect through traditional signature-based security solutions, as the exploitation may not immediately trigger obvious malicious behavior patterns. Security professionals must implement comprehensive patch management strategies and consider network-level protections to mitigate this risk effectively, as the vulnerability can be exploited without requiring elevated privileges or complex attack chains.