CVE-2022-28260 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 exists in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC versions 22.001.2011x and earlier, 20.005.3033x and earlier, and 17.012.3022x and earlier, representing a critical out-of-bounds read flaw that can be exploited through crafted malicious files. The technical implementation involves improper bounds checking during the parsing of specific file structures, leading to memory access violations that extend beyond allocated buffer boundaries. This particular vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can result in information disclosure and potential privilege escalation. The flaw manifests when the application attempts to parse malformed input data without adequate validation of buffer limits, creating opportunities for attackers to access memory regions that should remain protected.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it can be leveraged to bypass critical security mitigations such as Address Space Layout Randomization, which is a fundamental defense mechanism against exploitation. When an attacker successfully triggers this out-of-bounds read condition, they can potentially extract memory addresses and other sensitive information that would otherwise be protected by ASLR, effectively undermining the security posture of systems running vulnerable versions of Acrobat Reader. The exploitation requires user interaction, meaning victims must actively open a malicious file, but this social engineering requirement does not diminish the severity of the vulnerability since users may encounter such files through phishing campaigns, malicious email attachments, or compromised websites. This requirement for user interaction aligns with ATT&CK technique T1204.002 which describes user execution through malicious files, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios.
The memory corruption resulting from this vulnerability creates multiple attack surface opportunities for threat actors, as the out-of-bounds read can potentially expose stack contents, heap data, or other sensitive information that could aid in more sophisticated exploitation attempts. Attackers may use this initial foothold to gather system information, identify memory layout patterns, or even craft more precise exploitation payloads that could lead to arbitrary code execution. The fact that this vulnerability affects multiple version lines demonstrates the persistence of the underlying implementation flaw, suggesting that the root cause has not been properly addressed in the application's file parsing logic. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of all affected versions, as the combination of the out-of-bounds read condition with the bypass capability for ASLR creates a particularly dangerous exploitation scenario that can significantly weaken overall system security defenses. The vulnerability represents a classic example of how seemingly minor input validation flaws can have major security implications when combined with other attack vectors and mitigation bypass techniques.