CVE-2010-0198 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow 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 execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-0199, CVE-2010-0202, and CVE-2010-0203.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2018
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting Adobe Reader and Acrobat software versions prior to 9.3.2 and 8.2.2 respectively, across Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. The flaw occurs within the software's handling of certain input data structures, creating a condition where maliciously crafted data can exceed allocated memory boundaries and overwrite adjacent memory regions. The vulnerability specifically impacts the document processing components that handle various file formats, particularly those involving complex data structures and embedded objects. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious PDF files or other supported document formats that trigger the overflow during normal document rendering or parsing operations.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow leverages memory corruption principles that allow attackers to manipulate program execution flow by overwriting return addresses, function pointers, or other critical control data structures within the application's memory space. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, though the specific implementation details suggest it may involve heap-based exploitation techniques given the nature of document processing applications. The vulnerability's exploitation requires the target application to process a maliciously constructed document, making it a client-side attack vector that relies on social engineering to deliver the payload through phishing campaigns or compromised websites. The attack typically involves crafting PDF files with specially designed objects that cause the application to allocate insufficient memory for processing, leading to the overflow condition that can be leveraged for code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it enables full system compromise when successful. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the victim user, potentially leading to complete system takeover, data exfiltration, or deployment of additional malware. The widespread adoption of Adobe Reader across enterprise and personal environments amplifies the risk, as a single compromised system can serve as a foothold for lateral movement within networks. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability operates in a manner consistent with the attack patterns described in the mitre attack framework under the execution and privilege escalation tactics, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access and control over target systems.
Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to upgrade to Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.3.2 or later for version 9.x installations, and 8.2.2 or later for version 8.x installations. Additional protective measures include implementing sandboxing technologies, restricting Adobe Reader's capabilities through security policies, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping third-party software updated and highlights the need for organizations to maintain comprehensive vulnerability management programs. Security professionals should also consider implementing email filtering and web proxy solutions to prevent users from accessing potentially malicious documents through common attack vectors. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in controlled environments before widespread deployment to ensure compatibility with existing business processes and applications.