CVE-2010-0193 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-2010-0192 and CVE-2010-0196.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2018
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.x prior to 9.3.2 and 8.x prior to 8.2.2 contain an unspecified vulnerability that represents a critical security flaw affecting both Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of software security defects that can be exploited to compromise system integrity and availability. The flaw manifests through unknown attack vectors that differ from related vulnerabilities CVE-2010-0192 and CVE-2010-0196, indicating a distinct code path or memory handling issue within the affected software components. The vulnerability's unspecified nature suggests that attackers can potentially leverage multiple exploitation techniques that may involve memory corruption, buffer overflows, or other low-level software defects that could lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability. This type of vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where Adobe Reader remains a widely deployed component for document viewing and processing.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability likely involves flaws in how Adobe Reader processes certain document formats or handles specific data structures within PDF files. The vulnerability could stem from improper input validation, memory management issues, or insufficient bounds checking when parsing maliciously crafted PDF content. Such flaws typically occur in the parsing engines responsible for interpreting document objects, streams, or complex data structures that are common in PDF files. The attack surface encompasses various document elements including embedded scripts, graphics objects, or metadata that could trigger the exploitable condition when processed by the vulnerable software. This vulnerability aligns with common CWE categories related to software security weaknesses, particularly those involving buffer overflows, memory corruption, or improper input handling that can be leveraged for privilege escalation or code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to potentially enable complete system compromise when exploited successfully. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Adobe Reader, potentially leading to full system compromise or lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed software creates a substantial risk to organizations that rely on PDF document processing, as it could be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious websites. Organizations utilizing these vulnerable versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat face significant exposure to targeted attacks that could result in data breaches, system compromise, or disruption of business operations. The vulnerability's potential for remote code execution makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently access untrusted PDF content from external sources.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability through patch management and software updates. The primary remediation approach involves upgrading to Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.3.2 or later for version 9.x, and 8.2.2 or later for version 8.x, which contain the necessary security fixes. System administrators should conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all affected systems and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk exposure and business criticality. Additional protective measures include implementing application whitelisting policies, restricting Adobe Reader functionality through security settings, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing sandboxing techniques and user privilege restrictions to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK framework techniques related to exploitation of software vulnerabilities and privilege escalation, emphasizing the importance of layered defense strategies that include both preventive and detective controls to protect against similar future exploits.