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CVE-2018-16037: Adobe Acrobat Dc: Use after free

CVE-2018-16037 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.0 base score of 9.8 and NVD lists 2 affected products, including Adobe Acrobat Dc. 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

Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 2019.008.20081 and earlier, 2019.008.20080 and earlier, 2019.008.20081 and earlier, 2017.011.30106 and earlier version, 2017.011.30105 and earlier version, 2015.006.30457 and earlier, and 2015.006.30456 and earlier have a use after free vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.

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.

Underlying weakness

CWE-416: Use After Free

The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.

Affected products

  • Adobe Acrobat Dc: from 15.006.30060 up to and including 15.006.30457; from 15.008.20082 up to and including 19.008.20081; from 17.011.30056 up to and including 17.011.30106; from 15.006.30060 up to and including 15.006.30456; from 15.008.20082 up to and including 19.008.20080; from 17.011.30056 up to and including 17.011.30105
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader Dc: from 15.006.30060 up to and including 15.006.30457; from 15.008.20082 up to and including 19.008.20081; from 17.011.30059 up to and including 17.011.30106; from 15.006.30060 up to and including 15.006.30456; from 15.008.20082 up to and including 19.008.20080; from 17.011.30059 up to and including 17.011.30105

References