Quantum Secular Labs / Blog / Advisories

CVE-2016-0940: Adobe Acrobat: Use after free

CVE-2016-0940 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.0 base score of 9.8 and affects Adobe Acrobat, along with 1 other product in NVD’s configuration data. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication, without any user interaction. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available.

Vulnerability description

Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat before 11.0.14, Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 15.006.30119, and Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Continuous before 15.010.20056 on Windows and OS X allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0932, CVE-2016-0934, CVE-2016-0937, and CVE-2016-0941.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.0 9.8: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

  • Attack vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network, with no need for local or physical access.
  • Attack complexity: Low. No special conditions; the attack can be repeated reliably.
  • Privileges required: None. No account or prior access is needed.
  • User interaction: None. No action from any user is needed.
  • Scope: Unchanged. Impact stays within the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: High. Total loss of confidentiality; sensitive data can be fully disclosed.
  • Integrity impact: High. Total loss of integrity; data or system state can be fully modified.
  • Availability impact: High. Total loss of availability; the component can be shut down.

Affected products

  • Adobe Acrobat: up to and including 11.0.13; 11.0.0; 11.0.1; 11.0.2; 11.0.3; 11.0.4; 11.0.5; 11.0.6; 11.0.7; 11.0.8; 11.0.9; 11.0.10
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader Dc: up to and including 15.006.30097; up to and including 15.009.20077
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader: up to and including 11.0.13; 11.0.0; 11.0.1; 11.0.2; 11.0.3; 11.0.4; 11.0.5; 11.0.6; 11.0.7; 11.0.8; 11.0.9; 11.0.10
  • Adobe Acrobat Dc: up to and including 15.006.30097; up to and including 15.009.20077

References