CVE-2022-44517 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE • 12/19/2024
Acrobat Reader DC version 22.001.20085 (and earlier), 20.005.3031x (and earlier) and 17.012.30205 (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 • 01/11/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC affecting multiple version lines including 22.001.20085 and earlier, 20.005.3031x and earlier, and 17.012.30205 and earlier. The flaw occurs during the parsing of specially crafted files, where the application attempts to read memory 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 such as Address Space Layout Randomization which is a fundamental defense mechanism against exploitation attempts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the parser failing to properly validate input boundaries when processing malformed file structures. When Acrobat Reader encounters a crafted file, the parsing routine does not adequately check array or buffer limits before accessing memory locations, resulting in unauthorized memory reads. This memory corruption can potentially expose sensitive information stored in adjacent memory regions, including stack canaries, return addresses, or other security-related data that might be accessible through the out-of-bounds read. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires a user interaction vector, meaning victims must actively open the malicious file for exploitation to occur, which aligns with attack patterns described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique of initial access through malicious files.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to gather sufficient information to bypass security protections that would normally prevent successful exploitation. The ability to read past allocated memory structures provides adversaries with potential access to memory layout information that could be used to craft more sophisticated attacks or to understand the target system's security configuration. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where Acrobat Reader is commonly used for document processing, making it a significant concern for enterprise security. Organizations utilizing these affected versions should prioritize patching to prevent potential exploitation scenarios that could lead to privilege escalation or further system compromise.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to patched versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, deploying application whitelisting controls to prevent execution of untrusted documents, and monitoring for suspicious file opening activities. The vulnerability's requirement for user interaction provides a natural defense opportunity through security awareness training, as users should be educated about the risks of opening unknown or untrusted documents. Additionally, network-based controls such as email filtering and web proxy configurations can help prevent the delivery of malicious files to end users. Security teams should also consider implementing memory protection mechanisms and monitoring for anomalous memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in preventing exploitation of parsing vulnerabilities that can have cascading effects on system security.