CVE-2017-16399 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A vulnerability has been identified in Adobe Acrobat and Reader software versions up to 2017.012.20098, 2017.011.30066, 2015.006.30355, and 11.0.22. The vulnerability arises from an untrusted pointer dereference within the XPS parsing module, potentially leading to the unauthorized exposure of sensitive data.

Understanding CVE-2017-16399

This CVE pertains to an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

What is CVE-2017-16399?

The vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions up to 2017.012.20098, 2017.011.30066, 2015.006.30355, and 11.0.22 is caused by an untrusted pointer dereference in the XPS parsing module. This issue allows for the manipulation of specific input, resulting in pointers referencing memory locations outside the intended process address space.

The Impact of CVE-2017-16399

The vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized exposure of sensitive data due to a read operation that accesses memory locations beyond the intended process address space.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-16399

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability is an out-of-bounds read issue in Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions up to 2017.012.20098, 2017.011.30066, 2015.006.30355, and 11.0.22, stemming from an untrusted pointer dereference in the XPS parsing module.

Affected Systems and Versions

Adobe Acrobat Reader 2017.012.20098 and earlier versions
Adobe Acrobat Reader 2017.011.30066 and earlier versions
Adobe Acrobat Reader 2015.006.30355 and earlier versions
Adobe Acrobat Reader 11.0.22 and earlier versions

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by manipulating specific input to generate pointers referencing memory locations outside the intended process address space, potentially leading to the exposure of sensitive data.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protective measures to address the CVE-2017-16399 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Adobe Acrobat Reader to the latest version to patch the vulnerability.
Exercise caution when handling PDF files from untrusted sources.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and applications to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Implement network security measures to detect and prevent unauthorized access.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates provided by Adobe to address the CVE-2017-16399 vulnerability.