CVE-2007-0102 in Preview
Summary
by MITRE
The Adobe PDF specification 1.3, as implemented by Apple Mac OS X Preview, allows remote attackers to have an unknown impact, possibly including denial of service (infinite loop), arbitrary code execution, or memory corruption, via a PDF file with a (1) crafted catalog dictionary or (2) a crafted Pages attribute that references an invalid page tree node.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-0102 represents a critical security flaw in Apple Mac OS X Preview application's implementation of the Adobe PDF specification version 1.3. This weakness exists within the document parsing and rendering engine that processes PDF files, creating a potential attack surface that remote adversaries can exploit to compromise system integrity. The vulnerability specifically targets how the Preview application handles malformed PDF catalog dictionaries and Pages attributes, which are fundamental components of PDF document structure that define the document's organization and page hierarchy. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms within the PDF parsing logic, allowing maliciously crafted PDF files to trigger unexpected behavior in the application's memory management and processing routines.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves two primary attack vectors that leverage PDF file structure manipulation to cause system instability. The first vector exploits a crafted catalog dictionary that contains malformed entries or invalid references, while the second vector targets a Pages attribute that points to non-existent page tree nodes within the PDF document structure. Both attack methods can cause the Preview application to enter infinite loops during parsing operations, leading to denial of service conditions where the application becomes unresponsive and consumes excessive system resources. Additionally, the vulnerability can potentially trigger memory corruption issues that may allow attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the Preview application, effectively providing a pathway for remote code execution. The underlying mechanism involves improper handling of invalid references in the PDF object tree, where the application fails to properly validate the integrity of cross-references and object pointers before attempting to access them.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it presents a significant risk to user systems and data integrity. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause the Preview application to crash repeatedly, rendering PDF viewing functionality unusable and potentially allowing attackers to disrupt normal user workflows. The memory corruption aspects of the vulnerability are particularly concerning as they may enable attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the Preview application, which typically runs with the user's privileges. This could potentially lead to privilege escalation scenarios or provide attackers with a foothold for further system compromise. The vulnerability affects users who open PDF files from untrusted sources, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may encounter malicious documents through email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing systems. The attack surface is broad since PDF files are commonly used across all operating systems and applications, making this a widespread concern for organizations that rely on PDF document processing.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-0102 should focus on both immediate defensive measures and long-term architectural improvements. Users should avoid opening PDF files from untrusted sources and ensure their operating systems and applications are kept up to date with the latest security patches from Apple. Organizations should implement content filtering solutions that can detect and block potentially malicious PDF files before they reach end users. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read conditions. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and execution through malicious document files. System administrators should consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for PDF processing applications and regularly monitor for signs of exploitation attempts. The remediation process requires updating the Preview application to a version that properly validates PDF object references and implements robust error handling for malformed PDF structures, ensuring that invalid references are properly detected and handled without causing system instability or security breaches.