CVE-2022-28258 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 version ranges including 22.001.2011x and earlier, 20.005.3033x and earlier, and 17.012.3022x and earlier. The flaw manifests when the application processes a specially crafted file that triggers memory access beyond the boundaries of allocated structures. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-125 which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions where programs access memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. The technical implementation involves the parser failing to properly validate input data boundaries during file processing, leading to unauthorized memory access patterns that can expose sensitive information or disrupt normal application behavior.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption as it provides attackers with a mechanism to bypass critical security mitigations such as Address Space Layout Randomization. This occurs because the out-of-bounds read can potentially reveal memory layout information or other sensitive data that would normally be protected by ASLR protections. Attackers can leverage this information to craft more sophisticated exploits that can defeat modern exploit mitigations. The exploitation requires user interaction through social engineering to convince victims to open malicious files, making this a classic client-side attack vector that relies on user trust and behavior rather than direct system compromise.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the attack pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries use malicious files to execute code on target systems. The vulnerability's presence in widely used document readers creates a substantial attack surface that can be leveraged across various industries and organizations. Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability as part of broader endpoint protection strategies that include email filtering, application whitelisting, and user education programs. The memory corruption nature of the flaw also makes it potentially exploitable for information disclosure attacks that can reveal system information or application state data. Organizations should prioritize patch management to address this vulnerability promptly, as the combination of user interaction requirements and bypass capabilities makes it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges in securing complex document processing applications where input validation and memory management must account for potentially malicious or malformed data structures.