CVE-2007-0103 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
The Adobe PDF specification 1.3, as implemented by Adobe Acrobat before 8.0.0, 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 • 12/24/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-0103 represents a critical security flaw in Adobe Acrobat's handling of PDF files, specifically affecting versions prior to 8.0.0. This issue stems from inadequate validation mechanisms within the PDF parser implementation, where the software fails to properly sanitize input data structures that define the document's logical organization. The vulnerability manifests when processing specially crafted PDF files that contain maliciously constructed catalog dictionaries or Pages attributes that reference invalid page tree nodes. These malformed data structures exploit fundamental parsing weaknesses in the PDF specification implementation, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate the application's memory management and execution flow.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of PDF file structures that define how document content is organized and accessed. When Adobe Acrobat encounters a crafted catalog dictionary or invalid Pages attribute reference, the parser enters an unpredictable state where it may attempt to traverse invalid memory locations or process recursive data structures without proper bounds checking. This can lead to several dangerous outcomes including infinite loops where the parser becomes trapped in recursive traversal operations, memory corruption through buffer overflows or heap corruption, or potentially arbitrary code execution if the attacker can control memory layout and execution flow. The vulnerability operates at the parsing layer of the application, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered simply by opening a malicious PDF file, without requiring any interactive user actions beyond basic document opening.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass potential system compromise and data integrity threats. An attacker could craft PDF files designed to trigger memory corruption during document processing, potentially leading to application crashes, system instability, or in more sophisticated attacks, code execution with the privileges of the running Acrobat process. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that users could be compromised simply by receiving or accessing malicious PDF files through email attachments, web downloads, or shared network resources. Organizations relying on Adobe Acrobat for document processing face significant risk exposure, as this vulnerability could be exploited in targeted attacks against specific users or in broader phishing campaigns where PDF attachments serve as initial infection vectors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates to Adobe Acrobat 8.0.0 or later versions where the parsing logic has been corrected to properly validate catalog dictionaries and page tree references. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all Acrobat installations are updated promptly, while also considering alternative PDF viewing solutions or sandboxed environments for processing untrusted documents. Network-level defenses including email filtering and web proxy scanning can help prevent malicious PDF files from reaching end users, though these measures should complement rather than replace proper software updates. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129 and CWE-131 categories related to improper input validation and buffer overflow conditions, and may be mapped to ATT&CK techniques involving initial access through malicious files and privilege escalation through application exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to reduce the risk of accidental opening of malicious PDF files and establish incident response procedures for handling potential exploitation attempts.