Adobe Acrobat and Reader JavaScript Use-After-Free Flaws Patched
Adobe patched two use-after-free vulnerabilities in Acrobat and Reader that were triggered through JavaScript embedded in malicious PDF files. One flaw, tracked as CVE-2020-3800, affected the shared AcroForm.api plugin and the xfa.loadXML method, where malformed XML supplied through JavaScript caused a crash in Acrobat DC on Windows 10. STAR Labs said the bug was reproduced in Acrobat DC 2019.008.20064, with the vulnerable component identified as AcroForm.api version 19.012.20040.17853, and Adobe addressed it in security advisory APSB20-13.
A separate flaw, CVE-2019-16452, affected Acrobat and Reader DC 2019.012.20035 and earlier through the getSound() JavaScript method. Researchers found inconsistent handling of sound-name string objects between a cache dictionary and a JavaScript object's private data, leaving a stale pointer after toString() changed the object's representation. STAR Labs reported that a crafted PDF could potentially turn the bug into code execution inside Adobe's sandbox with careful memory manipulation, and Adobe fixed the issue in bulletin APSB19-55.
Timeline
Mar 17, 2020
Adobe patches CVE-2020-3800 in APSB20-13
Adobe released a patch for CVE-2020-3800 through advisory APSB20-13. STAR Labs publicly documented the flaw the same day, noting the bug caused a crash in AcroForm.api and that practical exploitation appeared limited in their testing.
Feb 4, 2020
STAR Labs reports Adobe Reader xfa.loadXML use-after-free to Adobe
STAR Labs notified Adobe of a use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat and Reader involving the AcroForm.api plugin and the xfa.loadXML JavaScript method, later assigned CVE-2020-3800. The issue was reproduced on Acrobat DC 2019.008.20064 on Windows 10 64-bit using malformed XML supplied through JavaScript.
Dec 10, 2019
Adobe fixes CVE-2019-16452 in APSB19-55
Adobe released a fix for CVE-2019-16452 in Security Bulletin APSB19-55. The vulnerability was also publicly disclosed the same day through STAR Labs' advisory.
Nov 17, 2019
Tianfu Cup report discloses Adobe getSound use-after-free to Adobe
A use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat and Reader DC involving JavaScript handling of getSound(), later assigned CVE-2019-16452, was reported to Adobe via Tianfu Cup. The flaw affected version 2019.012.20035 and earlier and could potentially enable code execution within the Adobe sandbox.
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