CVE-2018-4990: Adobe Acrobat and Reader Double Free Vulnerability

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CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2022-06-22 as the remediation due date.

Fix not verified

What, why and how

Adobe Acrobat and Reader have a double free vulnerability that could lead to remote code execution.

What

Adobe Acrobat and Reader have a double free vulnerability that could lead to remote code execution.

Why

The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication after a user interaction. If successful, the issue may execute code or commands in the affected security context.

What

Adobe Acrobat and Reader have a double free vulnerability that could lead to remote code execution.

Why

The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.

How

Exploit reality and attack path

CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.

Observed exploitation

Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.

Confirmed in the wild

CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 2022-06-08.

Public PoC / exploit material

Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.

None recorded

No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.

Likely attack path: a network path → Double Free → execute code or commands in the affected security context
Attack surface: Network
Privileges required: None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
User interaction: Required interaction required
Attack complexity: Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary: Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
Weakness ? CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.: CWE-415 ↗
CWE-415: Double Free. The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.
CVSS vector ? CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UIRequiredUser interaction: Another user must perform an action for exploitation to succeed.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.
Post-exploitation / living off the land: After compromise, an attacker may use built-in shells, scripting engines, scheduled tasks and native network utilities for discovery, persistence or movement. This is a plausible LoTL path, not evidence that it has occurred for every attack.

NetworkUnauthenticatedRemote code executionCWE-415CISA KEV

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2018-16775Known-exploited evidence recorded

Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 2018.011.20038 and earlier, 2017.011.30079 and earlier, and 2015.006.30417 and earlier have a Double Free vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user.

Official EUVD record ↗

Canadian Centre for Cyber Security · English · AV18-081Adobe security bulletins

Number: AV18-081 Date: 14 May 2018 Purpose The purpose of this advisory is to bring attention to recently published Adobe security bulletins. Assessment Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Reader for Windows and MacOS. Affected products: - Acrobat DC & 2017 - Acrobat Reader DC & 2017 - Photoshop CC 2017 & 2018 CVE References: CVE-2018-4990, CVE-2018-4947, CVE-2018-4948, CVE-2018-4966, CVE-2018-4968, CVE-2018-4978, CVE-2018-4982, CVE-2018-4984, CVE-2018-4946, CVE-2018-4952, CVE-2018-4954, CVE-2018-4958, CVE-2018-4959, CVE-2018-4961, CVE-2018-4971, CVE-2018-4974, CVE-2018-4977, CVE-2018-4980, CVE-2018-4983, CVE-2018-4988, CVE-2018-4989, CVE-2018-4950, CVE-2018-4979, CVE-2018-4949, CVE-2018-4951, CVE-2018-4955, CVE-2018-4956, CVE-2018-4957, CVE-2018-4960, CVE-2018-4962, CVE-2018-4963, CVE-2018-4964, CVE-2018-4967, CVE-2018-4969, CVE-2018-4970, CVE-2018-4972, CVE-2018-4973, CVE-2018-4975, CVE-2018-4976, CVE-2018-4981, CVE-2018-4986, CVE-2018-4985, CVE-2018-4953, CVE-2018-4987, CVE

Adobe Acrobat and Reader Double Free Vulnerability

National CERT insights ?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.

EUVD-2018-16775

What, why and how

Exploit reality and attack path

Official authority intelligence

Patch and workaround

Evidence and provenance

National CERT insights
?
CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.