CVE-2021-39835 : What You Need to Know

Adobe FrameMaker PDF File Parsing Use-After-Free Information Disclosure Vulnerability

Understanding CVE-2021-39835

Adobe FrameMaker versions 2019 Update 8 (and earlier) and 2020 Release Update 2 (and earlier) are affected by a use-after-free vulnerability in the processing of a malformed PDF file, potentially leading to disclosure of sensitive memory. This vulnerability requires user interaction by opening a malicious PDF file.

What is CVE-2021-39835?

Vulnerability Type: Use After Free (CWE-416)
CVSS Base Score: 4.3 (Medium)
Attack Vector: Network
User Interaction: Required

The Impact of CVE-2021-39835

The vulnerability in Adobe FrameMaker could result in the disclosure of sensitive memory when processing a malicious PDF file. Some key impacts include:

Low confidentiality impact
No integrity impact
No requirement for special privileges

Technical Details of CVE-2021-39835

The technical details of the vulnerability are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability is a use-after-free issue in Adobe FrameMaker.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: FrameMaker by Adobe
Vulnerable Versions:
FrameMaker 2020.2 and earlier
FrameMaker 2019.8 and earlier

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploitation of this vulnerability requires a victim to interact by opening a malformed PDF file.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps:

Users should avoid opening PDF files from untrusted or unknown sources.
Apply necessary updates and security patches from Adobe.

Long-Term Security Practices:

Implement proper user training on identifying malicious PDF files.
Consider using alternative PDF readers with robust security features.

Patching and Updates

Adobe released patches to address this vulnerability.