External risk intelligence

Adobe Acrobat and Reader Code Execution Vulnerability.

CVE advisoryKnown Exploit

CVE-2018-4990

Adobe Acrobat and Reader have a flaw that could permit arbitrary code execution, impacting users when they interact with malicious documents. This poses a business risk by potentially compromising system data and availability.

1Halo Surface Signal

Adobe Acrobat Dc

15.006.30060 to 15.006.3041715.008.20082 to 18.011.2003817.011.30059 to 17.011.30079

External exposure likelihood

Halo Surface Signal score for CVE-2018-4990

This vulnerability affects Adobe Acrobat and Reader, which are client-side desktop applications. They are not network services, web applications, or gateways and do not have a public-facing network presence. They operate on the user's local endpoint, making public internet exposure of the vulnerable component itself highly unlikely in the context of network surface area.

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

Adobe Acrobat and Reader contain a flaw that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code. This vulnerability exists within the software's handling of certain memory operations. Successful exploitation could lead to the execution of unauthorized code within the user's current operating context.

  • Vulnerable Adobe software
  • Flaw in memory handling
  • Potential for arbitrary code execution

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

This vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the context of the current user. The attack involves an organization's users interacting with specially crafted documents or web pages. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized actions performed on the affected system, impacting data confidentiality, integrity, and system availability.

  • Exposure condition: User opens a malicious document.
  • Attacker starting point: Remote.
  • Trigger and result: Malicious document triggers code execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat and Reader could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code. Successful exploitation would likely occur within the context of the currently logged-in user. The potential for code execution necessitates prompt attention to mitigate business risk.

  • Likely attacker skill level: Low
  • Required access or conditions: User interaction required
  • Business risk or urgency: High

Priority actions

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat and Reader could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on a targeted system. Organizations should take steps to identify and mitigate the risk associated with this known exploited vulnerability. Prioritizing actions can help reduce potential impact on systems and data.

  • Identify all Adobe Acrobat and Reader installations.
  • Restrict access to affected systems.
  • Apply vendor updates and validate changes.

Frequently asked questions

What is Adobe Acrobat and Reader and what is CVE-2018-4990?

Adobe Acrobat and Reader are software applications used to view, create, manage, and manipulate PDF (Portable Document Format) files. CVE-2018-4990 is a vulnerability found in specific versions of this software that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code.

What kind of weakness does CVE-2018-4990 represent?

CVE-2018-4990 is classified as a Double Free vulnerability (CWE-415). This means the software incorrectly attempts to free a block of memory that has already been freed, which can lead to unpredictable behavior and potentially allow an attacker to gain control of program execution.

How could an attacker exploit CVE-2018-4990?

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by tricking a user into opening a specially crafted PDF document or visiting a web page that contains malicious content. The vulnerability is triggered when the software improperly handles memory operations upon opening or processing such content.

Who should be concerned about this vulnerability, considering its surface signal?

Users of Adobe Acrobat and Reader should be concerned. While the vulnerability itself is associated with client-side applications and not typically internet-facing services, the risk is elevated because the attack vector involves user interaction with documents or web pages, which can originate from the internet. [cite:haloSurfaceSignal]

What is the first step to address CVE-2018-4990?

The primary first step is to identify all installations of the affected versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader within your environment. Once identified, applying the latest security updates provided by Adobe is crucial to mitigate the risk of exploitation.

References