CVE-2010-2207 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-2010-2202, 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 for Windows and Mac OS X contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability affected both the 9.x series before 9.3.3 and the 8.x series before 8.2.3, representing a significant security gap in Adobe's document processing software. The flaw manifested through unspecified attack vectors that differed from other contemporaneous vulnerabilities in the same product line, indicating a distinct code path or memory handling mechanism that had not been previously identified. The vulnerability was classified as a memory corruption issue, which typically occurs when an application writes data to memory locations it should not access, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system crashes. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" when exploited through malicious PDF documents that trigger memory corruption during document parsing.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was severe as it allowed attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Adobe Reader or Acrobat, effectively providing a foothold for further compromise. When exploited, the memory corruption could result in a denial of service condition where the application would crash or become unresponsive, or more critically, enable attackers to inject and execute malicious code on the target system. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it could be triggered through standard PDF document processing, requiring no special privileges or user interaction beyond opening a malicious file. Attackers could craft specially formatted PDF files that, when processed by the vulnerable software, would cause memory corruption leading to complete system compromise. The attack surface was broad due to the widespread use of Adobe Reader across enterprise and personal environments, making this vulnerability a prime target for cybercriminals seeking to establish persistent access to networks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-2207 focused on immediate patch deployment and operational security measures to reduce risk exposure. Organizations should have prioritized updating to Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.3.3 and 8.2.3 respectively, which contained the necessary security fixes. Additional protective measures included implementing PDF sandboxing features, restricting PDF file handling in email systems, and deploying content filtering solutions that could identify and block potentially malicious PDF documents. Network administrators should have configured application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted PDF files and established monitoring protocols to detect unusual PDF processing activities. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrated how memory corruption flaws in widely-used software could provide attackers with powerful exploitation capabilities. Organizations were advised to implement layered defense strategies including regular security assessments, user education about suspicious PDF files, and maintaining detailed incident response procedures specifically addressing document-based attacks. This vulnerability underscored the critical need for continuous security monitoring and rapid response capabilities to address emerging threats in enterprise environments.