CVE-2024-30279: Critical Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability Discovered in Adobe Acrobat Reader Versions 20.005.30574, 24.002.20736 and Earlier; Update Immediately!

Adobe Acrobat Reader, a widely used PDF reader application, has been identified with an alarming out-of-bounds write vulnerability (CVE-2024-30279) in versions 20.005.30574, 24.002.20736, and earlier. The implication of this vulnerability is the potential for an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user, effectively compromising the victim's system. This severe security risk requires an urgent update to Adobe Acrobat Reader to safeguard affected users.

Details

The CVE-2024-30279 vulnerability allows for an out-of-bounds write by exploiting a weak link in Adobe Acrobat Reader's internal memory management. For a successful attack, the victim has to download and open a malicious document laced with the attacker's code. Once the victim interacts with this document, the arbitrary code would be executed, compromising their system.

The following is an example code snippet demonstrating this vulnerability

// Malicious PDF content with attacker's arbitrary code
%PDF-1.5
1  obj
<<
  /Type /Catalog
  /Pages 2  R
>>
endobj
2  obj
<<
  /Type /Pages
  /Kids [3  R]
  /Count 1
>>
endobj
3  obj
<<
  /Type /Page
  /Parent 2  R
  /Contents 4  R
>>
endobj
4  obj
<<
  /Length 42
>>
stream
BT
  /F1 12 Tf
  arbitrary_code_goes_here // attacker's arbitrary code
ET
endstream

Links to the original references and reports for CVE-2024-30279 can be found below

1. CVE-2024-30279 - NVD
2. Adobe Security Bulletin APSB21-73
3. Security Researcher's Blog Post on CVE-2024-30279

Mitigation Measures

The primary measure to counter this vulnerability is to update the Adobe Acrobat Reader application immediately. Adobe has released security updates for its products addressing the CVE-2024-30279 vulnerability. These updates should be applied as soon as possible to ensure the protection of your system. You can download the updates from the following links:

1. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Update for Windows
2. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Update for Mac

In addition to updating the software, users should remain vigilant and avoid opening documents from unknown sources. A strong defense against potential attacks includes being cautious with email attachments and verifying the credibility of the sources before opening any documents.

Conclusion

CVE-2024-30279 is a critical vulnerability affecting Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 20.005.30574, 24.002.20736, and earlier. By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user, leading to major security risks. Users are strongly advised to update their Adobe Acrobat Reader application and follow safe emailing practices to protect themselves from this vulnerability.

Timeline

Published on: 05/23/2024 09:15:08 UTC
Last modified on: 06/04/2024 17:39:22 UTC