CVE-2019-8225 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-2019-8225 represents a critical use after free flaw affecting multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader software. This vulnerability manifests in the handling of memory management within the affected applications, specifically in how they process certain file operations that involve dynamic memory allocation and deallocation. The flaw occurs when the software attempts to access memory that has already been freed, creating a scenario where malicious actors can manipulate the program's execution flow through carefully crafted input files. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category, which specifically addresses use after free conditions, making it a well-documented and dangerous class of memory safety issues. The vulnerability affects multiple product versions including 2019.012.20040 and earlier, 2017.011.30148 and earlier, and 2015.006.30503 and earlier, indicating a long-standing issue that spans several major releases of Adobe's document processing software.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a malicious PDF file that triggers the specific memory management error during document processing. When the vulnerable application attempts to parse and render the malicious content, it executes code that leverages the freed memory location to redirect execution flow. This can result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running the affected software, potentially allowing attackers to install malware, steal data, or establish persistent access to compromised systems. The attack vector typically involves social engineering to convince users to open the malicious document, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may encounter such files through email attachments or web downloads. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the widespread use of Adobe Acrobat and Reader across organizations, making successful exploitation potentially devastating at scale.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-8225 extends beyond individual system compromise to encompass broader organizational security risks. Successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within network environments where the vulnerable software is deployed. Organizations using affected versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where users have administrative privileges or access to sensitive data. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it a preferred target for advanced persistent threat actors and ransomware operators. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the ATT&CK matrix under the execution and privilege escalation phases, where adversaries leverage application vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to systems and data resources.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability, beginning with mandatory software updates to the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader that contain patches for this issue. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as sandboxing of PDF files, email filtering to detect potentially malicious attachments, and user education programs to reduce the likelihood of successful social engineering attacks. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly around PDF file processing activities. The remediation process should include thorough vulnerability scanning to identify all systems running affected software versions, followed by immediate patch deployment and verification. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of untrusted PDF files, and maintain comprehensive incident response procedures that account for potential exploitation of this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure that the implemented mitigations remain effective against evolving attack techniques targeting similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.