Adobe Reader and Acrobat Use-After-Free
CVE-2014-0496 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Acrobat from Adobe, with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 10.0 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 10.1.9, 11.0.6 as the first without the flaw, so updating Acrobat to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on March 3, 2022, which means attacks have been observed in the wild.
Attackers are already exploiting this vulnerability, according to CISA.
What to do
- Update Acrobat to 10.1.9 or 11.0.6, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- CISA's required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- Read the advisory on helpx.adobe.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe | Acrobat | 10.0 up to, but not including, 10.1.9; 11.0 up to, but not including, 11.0.6 | 10.1.9, 11.0.6 |
Version data comes from NVD's product matching. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Access vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network.
- Access complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed.
- Authentication
- NoneNo login is needed.
- Confidentiality
- CompleteAll data can be read.
- Integrity
- CompleteAny data can be modified.
- Availability
- CompleteThe system can be shut down completely.
Vector: AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | CISA (ADP) |
| CVSS 2.0 | 10.0 | High | NVD |
Official description
Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.9 and 11.x before 11.0.06 on Windows and Mac OS X allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: 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.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue.
- Deadline for US federal agencies to remediate, set by CISA.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: active, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Third-party and government advisories
- securitytracker.com/id/1029604Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2014-0496US Government Resource
Other references
- github.com/cisagov/vulnrichment/issues/199Issue Tracking
Other vulnerabilities in Acrobat
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.3 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
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