CVE-2026-57245 in PDF Editor
Summary
by MITRE • 07/08/2026
When the application opens a PDF, traverses and builds the annotation elements related to hyperlinks, it fails to validate the abnormal annotation relationships and field combinations. This results in the internal objects entering an invalid state. Eventually, during the destruction phase, an invalid pointer write occurred, causing the application to crash.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2026
This vulnerability represents a classic heap-based buffer overflow condition that occurs during PDF processing within applications that handle hyperlink annotations. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation during the annotation traversal process where the application fails to properly validate abnormal annotation relationships and field combinations. When malformed or maliciously constructed PDF files are processed, the application's annotation building mechanism creates internal objects in an invalid state due to missing boundary checks and relationship validations. This invalid object state manifests when the application attempts to clean up resources during the destruction phase, leading to an invalid pointer write operation that ultimately causes a crash.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, out-of-bounds read operations. The flaw operates at the intersection of memory management and input validation where insufficient sanitization of annotation data structures leads to memory corruption during cleanup routines. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, as it can be triggered through malicious document delivery and potentially exploited to execute arbitrary code if proper exploitation techniques are applied. The vulnerability specifically impacts applications that parse PDF files and process hyperlink annotations, making it particularly relevant in enterprise environments where PDF processing is common.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes to potential denial-of-service scenarios that can disrupt business operations. When an application crashes due to invalid pointer writes, users experience immediate service interruption while administrators must investigate and potentially patch affected systems. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through legitimate PDF processing workflows without requiring user interaction beyond opening a malicious document. This makes it suitable for automated exploitation in targeted attacks where adversaries can craft PDF files that trigger the crash condition during normal document handling operations.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation mechanisms that check annotation relationships and field combinations before object construction occurs. Applications should employ robust boundary checking and memory management practices including stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and heap integrity checks. Additionally, implementing sandboxing techniques for PDF processing and using privilege separation models can limit the impact of potential exploitation attempts. Regular security updates and patches should be deployed immediately upon vendor releases addressing this specific vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based detection measures that can identify suspicious PDF file patterns that may indicate attempts to exploit this class of vulnerability. The remediation approach should include thorough code review processes focusing on memory management operations and annotation processing routines to prevent similar issues from occurring in future development cycles.