CVE-2022-28264 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 technical implementation involves improper input validation during the parsing of maliciously crafted files, where the application attempts to read memory beyond the boundaries of allocated buffers. This memory access violation occurs specifically when processing structured data within PDF files, creating a condition where the parser does not adequately bounds-check array indices or buffer limits before accessing memory locations. The vulnerability stems from inadequate defensive programming practices in the PDF parsing engine, particularly in how the application handles malformed or specially constructed data elements within document structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it provides attackers with potential bypass capabilities for modern exploit mitigations including Address Space Layout Randomization. When an attacker successfully triggers this out-of-bounds read condition, the application's memory access patterns can reveal information about memory layout or create predictable access patterns that adversaries can exploit to circumvent security protections. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios where adversaries seek to establish persistent access or escalate privileges. The requirement for user interaction through file opening creates a social engineering vector where victims must be convinced to open malicious documents, making this a prevalent attack surface in phishing campaigns and targeted attacks against organizations.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read as defined in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, representing a fundamental memory safety issue in software parsing logic. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, as it requires user interaction to achieve exploitation through document opening. The vulnerability also relates to T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation when combined with additional attack vectors. Organizations should prioritize patch management for affected versions and implement additional security controls such as email filtering, application whitelisting, and user education programs to mitigate the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenge in PDF processing applications where complex file formats create extensive attack surfaces requiring comprehensive input validation and memory safety mechanisms.