Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, a popular software for viewing, printing, signing, and annotating PDF documents, has been discovered to contain a critical out-of-bounds write vulnerability (CVE-2022-44513) that could potentially lead to arbitrary code execution when a user interacts with a malicious file. This vulnerability affects Acrobat Reader DC version 22.001.20085 (and earlier), 20.005.3031x (and earlier), and 17.012.30205 (and earlier).

In this blog post, we will dive deeper into the vulnerability, discuss how it could be exploited, share a code snippet to demonstrate the bug, and provide links to original references for further information and suggested mitigations.

The Vulnerability (CVE-2022-44513)

An out-of-bounds write is a type of programming error that occurs when data is written outside the boundaries of an allocated memory buffer. If exploited, this vulnerability can lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user, which could enable a remote attacker to gain control over a user's system or exfiltrate sensitive data.

In the case of Acrobat Reader DC, this vulnerability is triggered when a user interacts with a malicious PDF file, such as opening it or clicking on a specific embedded object. Exploiting the issue does not require any special privileges, making it particularly concerning as it could easily be utilized by attackers to compromise targeted systems.

Code Snippet

The following is a simple example of how an out-of-bounds write vulnerability could be introduced in a C/C++ program. Note that this is a general demonstration of the bug, not code specific to Acrobat Reader DC.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

int main() {
    char buf[10];
    const char *malicious_data = "This is a long string that overflows the buffer.";

    // An out-of-bounds write occurs when the malicious data is copied to the buf variable.
    strcpy(buf, malicious_data);

    printf("The buffer now contains: %s\n", buf);
    return ;
}

Exploit Details

In order to exploit the CVE-2022-44513 vulnerability, an attacker needs to create a malicious PDF file and convince the victim to open it using an affected version of Acrobat Reader DC. This could be accomplished through various social engineering techniques, such as sending the file via email or embedding it within a seemingly legitimate website.

Once the malicious file is opened, the out-of-bounds write vulnerability is triggered, which could potentially allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. Depending on the privileges of the affected user, this could lead to a full system compromise or other malicious activities, such as installing malware or stealing sensitive information.

Original References

- Adobe Security Bulletin: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb22-12.html
- CVE Details: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2022-44513

Mitigation Recommendations

Adobe has released security updates to address this vulnerability in Acrobat Reader DC. Users are advised to update their software to the latest version as soon as possible to protect against potential exploitation. The updated versions are:

Acrobat Reader DC 17.012.30208

Additionally, users should always be cautious when opening files from untrusted sources and exercise caution when prompted to open unexpected email attachments or click on unfamiliar links.

Conclusion

The CVE-2022-44513 out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Acrobat Reader DC is a crucial security issue that could potentially enable arbitrary code execution when a user interacts with a malicious file. We strongly encourage affected users to update their software and follow best security practices to reduce the risk of exploitation.

Timeline

Published on: 12/19/2024 00:15:05 UTC