CVE-2022-28232 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE • 05/11/2022
Acrobat Reader DC versions 22.001.20085 (and earlier), 20.005.3031x (and earlier) and 17.012.30205 (and earlier) are affected by a use-after-free vulnerability in the processing of the collab object that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition affecting Adobe Acrobat Reader DC across multiple version streams including 22.001.20085 and earlier, 20.005.3031x and earlier, and 17.012.30205 and earlier. The flaw manifests during the processing of collab objects within the PDF rendering engine, creating a scenario where freed memory locations can be accessed and reused by malicious code. This particular vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 use-after-free weakness category, which is classified as a common software security flaw that occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed. The vulnerability specifically impacts the collab object handling mechanism within Adobe's PDF processing pipeline, where improper memory management allows attackers to manipulate the application's memory state.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass potential full system compromise when exploited successfully. Attackers can craft malicious PDF files that, when opened by an affected Acrobat Reader DC user, trigger the use-after-free condition. This exploitation requires user interaction through opening the malicious file, making it a classic social engineering vector that can be delivered via email attachments, malicious websites, or compromised documents. The vulnerability's exploitation occurs in the context of the current user, meaning successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the logged-in user. This presents a significant risk in enterprise environments where users may have elevated permissions or access to sensitive data through Acrobat Reader applications. The attack surface is particularly concerning given Acrobat Reader's widespread deployment across organizations and individual users globally.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the attack chain described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically under the T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution tactic. The vulnerability's remediation requires immediate patching of affected Acrobat Reader DC versions, with administrators prioritizing deployment of Adobe's security updates. Organizations should implement network-level controls to block potentially malicious PDF files, particularly those from untrusted sources, and consider sandboxing PDF viewing applications to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as a use-after-free issue also aligns with the broader category of memory safety issues that are frequently targeted in advanced persistent threat campaigns and zero-day exploit development. Regular security assessments should include verification of Acrobat Reader installations and their patch status to prevent exploitation attempts that may leverage this vulnerability for initial access or privilege escalation within target environments.