CVE-1999-1576 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Adobe Acrobat ActiveX control (pdf.ocx, PDF.PdfCtrl.1) 1.3.188 for Acrobat Reader 4.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via the pdf.setview method.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-1999-1576 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Adobe Acrobat's ActiveX control component known as pdf.ocx or PDF.PdfCtrl.1 version 1.3.188. This specific ActiveX control serves as an embedded component within Microsoft Internet Explorer and other applications that support ActiveX technology, enabling users to view and interact with pdf documents directly within their web browser environment. The flaw manifests specifically within the pdf.setview method which is responsible for controlling how pdf documents are displayed and presented to users. This particular version of the ActiveX control was distributed as part of Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0, a widely deployed document viewing application that was prevalent during the late 1990s era of internet usage.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the pdf.setview method of the ActiveX control. When processing user-supplied parameters, the control fails to properly bounds-check the length of input data before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers. This fundamental flaw allows an attacker to supply maliciously crafted input that exceeds the allocated buffer space, resulting in memory corruption that can be exploited to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability specifically affects the ActiveX control's handling of parameters passed to the setview method, where the control does not validate the size of incoming data before performing memory operations. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, representing a classic and well-documented weakness in software development practices that has been consistently flagged as a critical security risk across numerous security frameworks and standards.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple denial of service or data corruption scenarios, as it enables remote code execution capabilities that can be leveraged by malicious actors. Attackers can craft specially designed web pages or pdf documents that, when opened through vulnerable versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader, will trigger the buffer overflow condition. The exploitation process typically involves creating a malicious payload that, when processed by the vulnerable ActiveX control, overflows the designated buffer and redirects execution flow to malicious code. This allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the target system with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable application. The remote nature of this attack vector makes it particularly dangerous as users can be compromised simply by visiting malicious websites or opening infected pdf files without requiring any additional interaction. The vulnerability effectively transforms the legitimate pdf viewing functionality into a potential attack vector for privilege escalation, data theft, or system compromise, making it a significant concern for enterprise security and individual users alike.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-1999-1576 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security posture improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves updating to a patched version of Adobe Acrobat Reader that contains fixed ActiveX controls, specifically versions that have addressed the buffer overflow vulnerability in pdf.ocx. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all systems running vulnerable versions are promptly updated. Additionally, security administrators should consider implementing ActiveX control restrictions through group policies or browser security settings that prevent automatic execution of potentially dangerous ActiveX components. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can help detect and block malicious content that attempts to exploit this vulnerability. From a defense-in-depth perspective, implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of unsigned or untrusted ActiveX controls provides an additional layer of protection. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of adhering to secure coding practices and conducting thorough security testing of third-party components, particularly those that interface with user-provided data. This incident serves as a historical example of how ActiveX-based vulnerabilities were commonly exploited during the early 2000s era and underscores the need for organizations to maintain current security practices and awareness of deprecated technologies that may still be present in legacy systems. The vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly benign functionality can become a critical attack surface when proper input validation and memory management practices are not implemented, reinforcing the principles outlined in the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 technique for executing commands through ActiveX controls.