CVE-2010-2202 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.3.3, and 8.x before 8.2.3 on Windows and Mac OS X, allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-1295, CVE-2010-2207, CVE-2010-2209, CVE-2010-2210, CVE-2010-2211, and CVE-2010-2212.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2021
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions prior to 9.3.3 and 8.2.3 respectively contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote code execution or denial of service attacks on windows and mac os x platforms. This vulnerability represents a distinct threat vector from other related issues in the same year, specifically excluding CVE-2010-1295 and several other contemporaneous vulnerabilities that were tracked under the same vulnerability family. The flaw manifests through unspecified attack vectors that exploit memory handling mechanisms within the pdf processing components of these applications, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory structures and potentially execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected user. The vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration category of memory corruption CWE-125, which occurs when software reads or writes to memory locations outside of the intended buffer boundaries. This type of weakness typically results in unpredictable behavior and can be exploited to gain arbitrary code execution or cause system instability through denial of service conditions. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it affects widely deployed pdf reader applications that are commonly used across enterprise environments and personal computing platforms, making successful exploitation potentially impactful at scale. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability means that attackers can manipulate heap memory structures or stack variables to overwrite critical program execution paths, potentially redirecting code execution to malicious payloads. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application level and does not require user interaction beyond opening a malicious pdf document, making it a prime target for drive-by download attacks. The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks in complex pdf parsing engines that must handle numerous formatting and scripting elements while maintaining memory safety. The attack patterns associated with this vulnerability align with the tactics described in the attack tree framework where adversaries leverage memory corruption flaws to achieve privilege escalation and persistent access. Organizations using affected versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat should immediately implement patch management procedures to upgrade to versions 9.3.3 or 8.2.3 respectively, as these releases contain the necessary fixes to address the memory corruption issues. Additionally, network security controls including pdf file filtering and sandboxing mechanisms should be deployed to reduce the attack surface and limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited in the wild. Security professionals should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and ensure that all endpoint systems are updated with the latest security patches to maintain protection against known memory corruption threats.