CVE-2022-28838 in Acrobat
Summary
by MITRE • 05/11/2022
Acrobat Acrobat Pro DC version 22.001.2011x (and earlier), 20.005.3033x (and earlier) and 17.012.3022x (and earlier) are affected by a use-after-free vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. 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 use-after-free condition in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC across multiple version ranges including 22.001.2011x and earlier, 20.005.3033x and earlier, and 17.012.3022x and earlier. The flaw occurs when the application processes maliciously crafted files, creating a scenario where freed memory locations are accessed after being deallocated. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software applications. The vulnerability exists within the document processing engine of Adobe Acrobat, where improper memory management allows attackers to manipulate freed memory pointers, potentially leading to code execution.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires specific user interaction through social engineering tactics where victims must open a maliciously crafted file. This makes the attack vector particularly dangerous as it leverages human factors alongside technical vulnerabilities, aligning with the attack technique T1203 in the ATT&CK framework which involves social engineering through malicious file attachments. The vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user, potentially leading to full system compromise. The use-after-free condition creates an opportunity for memory corruption that can be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations with malicious payloads.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass potential privilege escalation and persistent system compromise. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can gain unauthorized access to the victim's system with the same privileges as the legitimate user, potentially accessing sensitive documents, credentials, or network resources. This vulnerability affects the broader Adobe ecosystem and represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where Acrobat Pro DC is commonly deployed. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face potential data breaches, unauthorized access to confidential information, and possible lateral movement within networks through compromised user accounts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of all affected Adobe Acrobat Pro DC versions to the latest available updates from Adobe. System administrators should implement strict file validation policies and consider sandboxing mechanisms for document processing. Network segmentation and user access controls can help limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct security awareness training to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that rely on user interaction. Additionally, monitoring for suspicious file opening activities and implementing application whitelisting policies can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping enterprise software updated and maintaining comprehensive security protocols that address both technical flaws and human factors in cybersecurity risk management.