CVE-2009-3957 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.3, and 8.x before 8.2 on Windows and Mac OS X, might allow attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2025
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.x prior to 9.3 and 8.x prior to 8.2 on Windows and Mac OS X contain a vulnerability that could enable attackers to execute a denial of service attack through a NULL pointer dereference condition. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the software's processing mechanisms for certain document elements. The flaw manifests when the application encounters malformed or specially crafted input data that triggers a NULL pointer dereference during document parsing or rendering operations. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-476 which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference conditions in software implementations. The attack vector remains unspecified in the original CVE description, suggesting that multiple pathways could potentially trigger the vulnerable code path. When exploited, this vulnerability allows an attacker to cause the application to crash or become unresponsive, effectively rendering the software unavailable to legitimate users. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it could be leveraged as part of a broader attack strategy to compromise system availability. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk in environments where Adobe Reader is frequently used for document processing, particularly in enterprise settings where document handling is critical to business operations. The vulnerability's presence in both Windows and Mac OS X platforms indicates a cross-platform concern that requires coordinated patch management across different operating systems. This type of denial of service vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks. The NULL pointer dereference condition typically occurs when the application attempts to access memory through a pointer that has not been properly initialized or has been set to NULL, causing the application to terminate unexpectedly. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be executed through crafted document files that, when opened by the vulnerable Adobe Reader or Acrobat versions, trigger the faulty code path. This makes it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through social engineering techniques such as phishing emails containing malicious attachments. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions to prevent exploitation. The recommended mitigation involves upgrading to Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.3 or later versions for 9.x releases and 8.2 or later for 8.x releases. Additionally, implementing application whitelisting policies and restricting user privileges when opening documents can provide additional defense in depth. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual application crashes or service interruptions that could indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and email filtering solutions should also be employed to prevent delivery of potentially malicious documents to end users. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and error handling in software applications, particularly in security-sensitive components like document readers that process untrusted content from external sources.