CVE-2009-2981 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Reader and Acrobat 7.x before 7.1.4, 8.x before 8.1.7, and 9.x before 9.2 do not properly validate input, which might allow attackers to bypass intended Trust Manager restrictions via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2018
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions prior to the mentioned patches contain a critical input validation vulnerability that undermines the security controls implemented by the Trust Manager component. This flaw exists across multiple version lines including 7.x before 7.1.4, 8.x before 8.1.7, and 9.x before 9.2, indicating a widespread issue affecting the core trust management functionality of these document processing applications. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied input data, creating opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate the application's trust decisions and potentially execute unauthorized operations within the security boundaries established by the software's trust management system. This weakness aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation as a fundamental security flaw that can lead to various downstream vulnerabilities including privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution. The Trust Manager in Adobe Reader and Acrobat is designed to enforce security policies by controlling which operations are permitted on documents based on their source, digital signatures, and other trust attributes. When input validation fails, attackers can exploit this gap to bypass these critical security checks and gain elevated privileges or access to restricted functionality. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the vulnerability description suggest that multiple attack paths may exist, potentially including manipulation of document properties, registry settings, or other application configuration elements that influence trust decisions. This vulnerability creates a significant risk for enterprise environments where Adobe Reader is commonly used for processing sensitive documents, as it could allow attackers to circumvent security policies that protect against untrusted content execution and potentially lead to full system compromise. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation since the Trust Manager is a critical security component that controls access to sensitive operations within the application, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in contexts where users process documents from untrusted sources. Organizations using affected versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat should prioritize immediate patching to address this vulnerability, as it represents a fundamental weakness in the application's security architecture that could be exploited to undermine the entire security model of the software. The vulnerability demonstrates how input validation failures can compromise security controls that are designed to be robust barriers against malicious content, making it a prime target for exploitation in advanced persistent threat campaigns where attackers seek to establish persistent access to sensitive systems. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability could map to techniques involving privilege escalation and execution of malicious code through application weaknesses, with potential lateral movement opportunities if exploited in enterprise environments where Adobe Reader is widely deployed. The security implications of this vulnerability extend to compliance requirements for organizations handling sensitive data, as the failure to properly validate input can result in violations of security standards such as those outlined in ISO 27001 and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. Organizations should implement additional monitoring and access controls for systems running affected versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat to detect potential exploitation attempts and mitigate the risk of successful attacks. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper input validation practices in software development lifecycle processes to prevent similar issues from compromising security controls.