CVE-2022-44519 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 a use-after-free vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. 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.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC across multiple version ranges including 22.001.20085 and earlier, 20.005.3031x and earlier, and 17.012.30205 and earlier. The flaw occurs when the application processes specially crafted malicious files, leading to improper memory management where freed memory locations are accessed after being deallocated. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions, making it a well-documented and dangerous class of memory corruption vulnerabilities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction through opening a malicious file, which aligns with the common attack vector pattern for client-side exploits. When a victim opens the crafted document, the application's memory management routines fail to properly track memory references, allowing an attacker to manipulate freed memory locations. This particular flaw is particularly concerning because it can be leveraged to bypass critical security mitigations such as Address Space Layout Randomization, which is designed to make memory addresses unpredictable and harder to exploit. The ability to circumvent ASLR significantly increases the exploitability and potential impact of this vulnerability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory disclosure, as it creates opportunities for more sophisticated attacks including arbitrary code execution and privilege escalation. Attackers can potentially use this vulnerability to execute malicious payloads within the context of the Acrobat Reader application, which typically runs with user privileges but has access to system resources through file operations. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed software versions means that numerous end users and organizations are at risk, particularly in environments where PDF documents are frequently opened and shared. This makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors targeting enterprise networks and individual users alike.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions, as Adobe has released security updates addressing this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement strict document filtering policies that prevent opening of suspicious PDF files from untrusted sources, and consider deploying sandboxing solutions to contain potential exploitation attempts. Network-based defenses should include monitoring for suspicious file types and implementing application whitelisting to restrict execution of unauthorized software. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify systems running affected versions and prioritize remediation efforts. The vulnerability's classification as a use-after-free condition means that traditional memory protection mechanisms may not be sufficient, requiring additional defensive measures such as exploit prevention technologies and enhanced monitoring for anomalous memory access patterns. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software and implementing layered security approaches to protect against sophisticated exploitation techniques that target memory management flaws in widely used applications.