CVE-2009-2985 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 allow attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2009-2996.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2018
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions prior to specific patch levels contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote attackers to either induce denial of service conditions or achieve arbitrary code execution within the targeted system. This vulnerability affects multiple product versions including Adobe Reader 7.x before 7.1.4, 8.x before 8.1.7, and 9.x before 9.2, representing a significant security gap that has persisted across major releases of the software suite. The flaw manifests through unspecified attack vectors that differ from the closely related CVE-2009-2996 vulnerability, indicating a distinct class of memory handling issues within the application's processing mechanisms. The underlying technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption, which typically occurs when applications fail to properly manage memory allocation and deallocation processes, potentially allowing malicious input to overwrite critical memory segments. This type of vulnerability commonly maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, or CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflows, though the specific implementation details remain undisclosed in the public vulnerability description. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it creates potential for complete system compromise when exploited successfully. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or further lateral movement within network environments. The memory corruption aspect suggests that the vulnerability may involve improper handling of PDF file structures, particularly when parsing complex or malformed content that could trigger buffer overflows or other memory management failures. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where Adobe Reader is widely deployed for document viewing and processing, creating a substantial attack surface that could be exploited by threat actors targeting organizational networks. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution risk means that attackers can potentially exploit it through web-based attacks, email attachments, or other network-delivered malicious content without requiring local system access. Organizations utilizing these older versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat face significant risk exposure given the nature of the memory corruption and potential for arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability's presence across multiple major versions indicates a fundamental flaw in the software's memory management systems that was not adequately addressed in the affected releases, requiring immediate patching and remediation efforts. Security professionals should consider implementing network-based controls and monitoring for suspicious PDF file handling activities while simultaneously prioritizing the deployment of patches for all affected versions to prevent exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework would classify this vulnerability under T1190, which covers exploits for execution through the use of malicious files, and potentially T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage if successful exploitation occurs. This vulnerability represents a critical concern for organizations that rely on Adobe Reader for document processing and highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for widely used software applications. The lack of specific vector details in the public description underscores the complexity and potential breadth of attack surfaces that may be affected by this memory corruption issue, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security assessments and immediate remediation actions across all affected systems.