CVE-2009-2996 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-2009-2985.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2018
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 7.x before 7.1.4, 8.x before 8.1.7, and 9.x before 9.2 contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability represents a distinct security flaw from CVE-2009-2985, indicating multiple attack surfaces within the software's processing mechanisms. The memory corruption occurs during the handling of specific file formats or embedded content, potentially through malformed PDF objects or maliciously crafted document structures. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-119 weakness category, which encompasses issues related to memory access violations and buffer overflows that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The attack surface is particularly concerning given Adobe Reader's widespread deployment across enterprise and consumer environments, making it a prime target for exploitation. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service, as successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise and privilege escalation. Attackers can leverage this flaw by delivering malicious PDF files through phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or social engineering tactics that trick users into opening infected documents. The exploitation process typically involves crafting specific memory structures that trigger buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions within the Adobe Reader rendering engine. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which describes the use of malicious documents to gain initial access and execute code within target systems. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability makes it particularly dangerous because it can be exploited without user interaction if the document is automatically processed by the application. Security researchers have identified that the vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within Adobe's PDF parsing libraries. The affected versions represent a significant security gap that required immediate patching to prevent widespread exploitation across networks. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face increased risk of targeted attacks, especially in environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution threat necessitates immediate remediation efforts and network segmentation measures to limit potential attack vectors. The memory corruption nature of this vulnerability also makes it challenging to detect through traditional signature-based detection methods, requiring more advanced behavioral analysis and exploit prevention mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management strategies to ensure all instances of Adobe Reader and Acrobat are updated to versions that address this specific memory corruption flaw. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing layered security controls to protect against sophisticated attack techniques targeting commonly used applications. This particular vulnerability underscores the need for regular security assessments and proactive vulnerability management to prevent exploitation of known flaws in widely deployed software platforms.