CVE-2019-7117
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a type confusion vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat and Reader that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. Users of vulnerable Adobe PDF software versions are at risk when opening malicious PDF files. Successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe Acrobat DC
- Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
- Adobe Acrobat 2017
- Adobe Acrobat Reader 2017
- Adobe Acrobat 2015
- Adobe Acrobat Reader 2015
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise with attacker gaining complete control over the affected system, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Malicious PDF files delivered via phishing emails or malicious websites could exploit this vulnerability to install malware, steal credentials, or establish persistence on victim systems.
If Mitigated
With proper security controls like application whitelisting, network segmentation, and user awareness training, the impact could be limited to isolated incidents with minimal data exposure.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to open a malicious PDF file. Type confusion vulnerabilities in PDF readers are commonly exploited in the wild.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Acrobat DC/Reader DC: 2019.010.20099 and later; Acrobat 2017/Reader 2017: 2017.011.30128 and later; Acrobat 2015/Reader 2015: 2015.006.30483 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb19-17.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Adobe Acrobat or Reader. 2. Go to Help > Check for Updates. 3. Follow prompts to install available updates. 4. Restart the application when prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JavaScript in Adobe Reader
allDisabling JavaScript can prevent exploitation of many PDF-based vulnerabilities
Edit > Preferences > JavaScript > Uncheck 'Enable Acrobat JavaScript'
Use Protected View
allEnable Protected View for files from potentially unsafe locations
Edit > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) > Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized PDF readers from executing
- Use network segmentation to isolate PDF processing systems from critical assets
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Adobe Acrobat/Reader version via Help > About Adobe Acrobat/Reader and compare against affected versionsCheck Version:
On Windows: wmic product where "name like 'Adobe Acrobat%'" get version; On macOS: /Applications/Adobe\ Acrobat\ Reader\ DC.app/Contents/Info.plist | grep -A1 CFBundleShortVersionStringVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is updated to patched versions: 2019.010.20099+, 2017.011.30128+, or 2015.006.30483+📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Adobe crash reports with exception codes
- Windows Event Logs showing Acrobat/Reader process crashes
- Antivirus alerts for PDF files
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from PDF reader processes
- DNS requests to suspicious domains after PDF file opens
SIEM Query:
source="*acrobat*" OR source="*reader*" AND (event_type="crash" OR severity="high")