CVE-2022-28246 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE • 05/11/2022
Acrobat Reader DC version 22.001.2011x (and earlier), 20.005.3033x (and earlier) and 17.012.3022x (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability when parsing a crafted file, which could result in a read past the end of an allocated memory structure. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to bypass mitigations such as ASLR. 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 out-of-bounds read flaw in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC across multiple affected versions including 22.001.2011x and earlier, 20.005.3033x and earlier, and 17.012.3022x and earlier. The flaw occurs during the parsing of crafted malicious files when the application attempts to read data beyond the boundaries of allocated memory structures. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to information disclosure, application crashes, or more severe exploitation outcomes. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be leveraged to bypass important security mitigations such as Address Space Layout Randomization which is designed to prevent attackers from predicting memory addresses during exploitation attempts.
The technical execution of this vulnerability requires specific user interaction where victims must open a maliciously crafted file to trigger the out-of-bounds read condition. This interaction requirement places the vulnerability in the context of social engineering attacks where attackers must convince users to open specifically crafted documents that contain malicious payloads. When the vulnerable application processes these files, it reads memory locations beyond the intended boundaries of allocated buffers, potentially exposing sensitive data from adjacent memory regions or causing application instability. The memory corruption that results from this read past the end of allocated structures can manifest in various ways including application crashes, information disclosure, or in more sophisticated exploitation scenarios where the attacker can extract memory addresses to bypass ASLR protections. This particular vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly simple parsing flaws in document readers can create significant security risks when combined with other exploitation techniques.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations that rely heavily on Adobe Acrobat Reader for document processing and sharing. The requirement for user interaction means that successful exploitation depends on social engineering campaigns targeting end users, making it particularly challenging to defend against through traditional network-based security controls. Organizations must consider that even with updated systems, legacy versions may still be in use, creating ongoing exposure windows. The bypass capability for ASLR mitigations makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can enable more sophisticated exploitation techniques that would otherwise be blocked by modern security protections. Security teams should recognize that this vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for more complex attacks where the initial out-of-bounds read provides the attacker with information needed to plan subsequent exploitation phases.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of Adobe's security patches for the affected versions of Acrobat Reader DC, with particular emphasis on updating all systems to versions that have addressed the out-of-bounds read condition. Organizations should implement comprehensive software update policies that ensure all endpoints receive security patches promptly, particularly for widely used applications like Adobe Reader. Additional protective measures include deploying email filtering solutions that can identify and block suspicious document attachments, implementing application whitelisting to restrict execution of unauthorized software, and conducting user awareness training to reduce susceptibility to social engineering attacks that exploit this vulnerability. Network-based defenses should focus on monitoring for suspicious file transfers and implementing strict access controls for document handling processes. Security monitoring should include detection of potential exploitation attempts through log analysis and behavioral monitoring for unusual application behavior that might indicate successful exploitation of this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes such vulnerabilities under initial access and execution techniques where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to establish footholds within target environments, making this a critical component of overall defensive strategies.