CVE-2000-0713 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Adobe Acrobat 4.05, Reader, Business Tools, and Fill In products that handle PDF files allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a long /Registry or /Ordering specifier.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2000-0713 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting multiple Adobe Acrobat products including version 4.05 of Acrobat Reader, Business Tools, and Fill In applications. This security weakness specifically manifests when processing PDF files containing malformed /Registry or /Ordering entries within the document structure. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly bounds-check user-supplied data before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers. According to CWE-121, this vulnerability falls under the category of stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient boundary checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The affected Adobe products process PDF documents through a parsing mechanism that handles color management specifications, particularly those related to color rendering and ordering within print environments.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious PDF file containing excessively long /Registry or /Ordering parameters that exceed the allocated buffer space. When the vulnerable Adobe application attempts to parse these malformed entries, the insufficient bounds checking allows the overflow to occur, potentially overwriting critical memory segments including return addresses on the stack. This memory corruption creates opportunities for arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running the affected software, effectively providing attackers with complete system compromise capabilities. The attack vector relies on social engineering techniques where users unknowingly open malicious PDF documents, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where document sharing is common. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-787, which describes out-of-bounds write conditions that occur when a buffer is written to without proper bounds checking.
The operational impact of CVE-2000-0713 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass complete system compromise and potential data exfiltration. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can execute malicious code within the context of the Acrobat application, potentially leading to persistent backdoors, credential theft, or lateral movement within networks. The widespread deployment of Adobe Acrobat products across enterprise environments amplifies the potential damage, as a single compromised user could provide attackers with access to sensitive corporate documentation and systems. Organizations running multiple versions of Acrobat 4.05 across their networks face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where users regularly exchange PDF documents. The vulnerability's exploitation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which describes the execution of malicious code through legitimate system processes, and T1133, which covers persistence mechanisms that attackers may establish through compromised applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Adobe Acrobat installations through official security updates provided by Adobe. Organizations should implement strict document validation policies that scan incoming PDF files for malformed entries before processing, utilizing sandboxing techniques to isolate PDF rendering operations from critical system resources. Network administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls and content filtering solutions that can detect and block suspicious PDF file patterns. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software patches and implementing comprehensive security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the risks of opening untrusted PDF documents, particularly those received via email or downloaded from unknown sources. Security teams should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools that can identify systems running vulnerable versions of Acrobat and prioritize patching efforts accordingly. The remediation process must include thorough testing of patches to ensure they do not introduce compatibility issues with existing business processes while maintaining the security posture against this and similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities.