CVE-2022-28263 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 lines including 22.001.2011x, 20.005.3033x, and 17.012.3022x and earlier. The flaw occurs during the parsing of specially crafted files that cause the application to read memory locations 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 that can lead to information disclosure and potential exploitation. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be leveraged to bypass important security mitigations like Address Space Layout Randomization which is designed to make memory addresses unpredictable and thus harder for attackers to target.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows an attacker to craft malicious PDF files that when opened by an affected Acrobat Reader version will trigger the out-of-bounds read condition. This condition typically occurs when the parser does not properly validate the size or structure of data elements within the PDF file, leading to memory access beyond intended boundaries. The memory corruption that results from such access can expose sensitive information from adjacent memory locations, potentially including stack canaries, return addresses, or other security-related data that would normally be protected from direct access. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' and 'Defense Evasion' tactics, where adversaries leverage memory corruption vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or circumvent security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it requires only user interaction to be exploited, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or social engineering attacks where victims might be tricked into opening malicious documents. The fact that this vulnerability can be used to bypass ASLR means that attackers can potentially gain more precise control over memory layout and execute more sophisticated exploitation techniques. This makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors who may be developing targeted attacks against organizations that rely heavily on PDF document processing. The widespread use of Adobe Acrobat Reader across enterprise environments means that successful exploitation could potentially affect numerous systems and users, making this a high-priority vulnerability for immediate remediation.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the latest security patches from Adobe as soon as they become available, which typically address the underlying parsing logic that leads to the out-of-bounds read condition. Network-based mitigations such as PDF content filtering and sandboxing solutions can provide additional protection layers while patches are being deployed. Security teams should also consider implementing user awareness training to reduce the risk of users inadvertently opening malicious documents, and monitoring for suspicious PDF file activity in network traffic. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in document parsing applications, as highlighted in industry best practices for secure coding standards and the OWASP Top Ten security risks that emphasize the importance of preventing memory corruption vulnerabilities in application security.