CVE-2010-0192 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.3.2, and 8.x before 8.2.2 on Windows and Mac OS X, allows attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-0193 and CVE-2010-0196.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2018
This vulnerability affects Adobe Reader and Acrobat software versions prior to specific patches, creating a significant security risk for users on both windows and mac os x platforms. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vector makes it particularly dangerous as it could encompass multiple attack surfaces without clear indication of the exact exploit mechanism. The vulnerability exists in versions 9.x before 9.3.2 and 8.x before 8.2.2, indicating a widespread issue across multiple software releases that were commonly used for document processing and viewing.
The technical flaw manifests as an unspecified weakness that enables attackers to potentially cause denial of service conditions or execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This dual capability represents a serious security concern as denial of service attacks can disrupt business operations while arbitrary code execution provides attackers with complete system compromise potential. The vulnerability operates through unknown vectors that differ from related CVE-2010-0193 and CVE-2010-0196, suggesting this represents a distinct exploit pathway within the software's codebase. The unspecified nature of these vectors indicates that attackers may be able to leverage various methods to achieve the same outcome, making the vulnerability particularly challenging to defend against.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system disruption to potentially enable full system compromise by attackers. Organizations relying on Adobe Reader and Acrobat for document handling face significant risk as these applications are frequently used to open and process files from external sources, creating numerous potential attack entry points. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed software versions means that large numbers of systems could be immediately affected, potentially leading to widespread service disruption or unauthorized system access. This risk is exacerbated by the fact that users often open documents from untrusted sources without proper security validation.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment to update Adobe Reader and Acrobat to versions 9.3.2 or later for 9.x releases and 8.2.2 or later for 8.x releases. System administrators should implement strict document handling policies that limit the opening of external documents and employ sandboxing techniques to isolate document processing activities. Network security controls including firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for suspicious document-related network traffic patterns. The vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack tree framework where attackers can leverage software flaws to achieve privilege escalation and persistent system access. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted software and maintain updated vulnerability management processes to quickly respond to similar threats. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of timely patch management and the potential for seemingly minor software flaws to create major security incidents.