CVE-2007-5169 in PageMaker
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in MAIPM6.dll in Adobe PageMaker 7.0.1 and 7.0.2 on Windows allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long font name in a .PMD file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5169 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw in Adobe PageMaker 7.0.1 and 7.0.2 versions running on Windows operating systems. This vulnerability resides within the MAIPM6.dll dynamic link library component that handles font processing within the PageMaker application. The flaw manifests when the application processes malformed .PMD files containing excessively long font names, creating a condition where memory allocated on the stack exceeds its bounds. Such buffer overflows are particularly dangerous because they can be exploited to overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and critical program variables, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the victim user.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a malicious .PMD file containing an overly long font name string that exceeds the allocated buffer size in the MAIPM6.dll library. When a victim opens this specially crafted file using Adobe PageMaker, the application's font processing routine fails to properly validate the length of the font name, causing the stack buffer to overflow. This overflow can overwrite the return address on the stack, enabling an attacker to redirect program execution to malicious code injected into the application's memory space. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which is a well-documented and commonly exploited weakness in software applications that fail to properly validate input lengths before copying data to fixed-size buffers.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations using Adobe PageMaker 7.0.1 or 7.0.2, particularly in environments where users may encounter untrusted .PMD files from external sources or through social engineering attacks. The user-assisted nature of the attack means that successful exploitation requires user interaction, typically through opening a malicious document, but this requirement does not significantly reduce the overall risk given that many users may not be aware of the potential dangers of opening untrusted documents. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to potentially allow full system compromise, as attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent backdoors or escalate privileges within the victim's environment. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 by enabling malicious code execution through application vulnerabilities, and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage once the initial compromise is achieved.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the latest version of Adobe PageMaker or applying the vendor-provided security patches that address this specific buffer overflow vulnerability. System administrators should also consider implementing strict document filtering policies that prevent the automatic opening of .PMD files from untrusted sources and deploy application whitelisting solutions to restrict execution of vulnerable software. Network-based protections such as intrusion detection systems can help identify attempts to exploit this vulnerability through crafted .PMD files. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of not opening documents from unknown sources, as the user-assisted nature of the attack means that social engineering remains a primary exploitation vector. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in software development, particularly for applications that process external data files containing user-controllable input elements.