CVE-2019-8238 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 2019.010.20100 and earlier; 2019.010.20099 and earlier versions; 2017.011.30140 and earlier version; 2017.011.30138 and earlier version; 2015.006.30495 and earlier versions; 2015.006.30493 and earlier versions have a Path Traversal vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to Information Disclosure in the context of the current user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2019
Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications suffer from a path traversal vulnerability that affects multiple version ranges across different release cycles. This vulnerability exists within the file handling mechanisms of these widely used PDF processing applications, creating a critical security risk for end users and organizations that rely on these tools for document management and viewing. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate file paths during document processing, potentially enabling unauthorized access to files on the local system that should normally be protected from external access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of file paths when processing PDF documents. When users open or interact with PDF files, the applications perform path traversal operations that do not properly sanitize input parameters or validate the intended file locations. This weakness enables malicious actors to craft specially formatted PDF documents that, when processed by the vulnerable software, can traverse the file system and access files outside the intended directory structure. The vulnerability specifically affects versions that have not received the necessary security patches, with the most recent affected versions including 2019.010.20100 and earlier, 2017.011.30140 and earlier, and 2015.006.30495 and earlier releases. According to the CWE database, this represents a classic path traversal flaw classified under CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The vulnerability creates a significant attack surface that aligns with techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 sub-technique for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript" and T1074.001 for "Data Staged: Local Data Staging" as attackers can leverage this weakness to access sensitive information stored on the local system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to access sensitive documents, configuration files, and potentially system credentials stored in accessible locations. Organizations that deploy Adobe Acrobat and Reader across their networks face significant risk when these applications remain unpatched, as the vulnerability can be exploited through social engineering tactics such as phishing emails containing malicious PDF attachments. The vulnerability's exploitation typically requires user interaction, making it a prime target for targeted attacks where adversaries craft convincing PDF documents designed to trigger the path traversal mechanism when opened. Successful exploitation can result in unauthorized access to corporate documents, personal data, or system configuration files that should remain protected from casual access. The threat landscape surrounding this vulnerability indicates that it has been actively exploited in the wild, with threat actors leveraging the path traversal capability to extract sensitive information from compromised systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of all affected Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations across enterprise environments. Organizations must implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure that all systems running these applications receive security updates promptly. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict the execution of potentially vulnerable software unless explicitly authorized. The implementation of security controls such as sandboxing for PDF processing and network segmentation can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments should include verification of Adobe product versions to ensure that all installations are running patched versions that address this specific path traversal vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing email filtering solutions that can detect and block malicious PDF attachments before they reach end users, reducing the attack surface for this particular vulnerability. The remediation process should also include user education initiatives to help employees recognize potentially malicious PDF files and avoid opening attachments from untrusted sources, as the vulnerability requires user interaction for exploitation to be successful.