CVE-2010-3619 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.4, and 8.x before 8.2.5 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-2010-2890, CVE-2010-3621, CVE-2010-3622, CVE-2010-3628, CVE-2010-3632, and CVE-2010-3658.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/26/2021
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions prior to 9.4 and 8.2.5 on Windows and Mac OS X contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote code execution or denial of service attacks through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability represents a distinct security flaw from several other related CVEs published in the same timeframe, indicating a complex attack surface within the Adobe Acrobat ecosystem. The memory corruption issue arises from improper handling of malformed input data within the PDF processing engine, specifically affecting how the software manages memory allocation and deallocation during document parsing operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious PDF files that trigger buffer overflows or heap corruption when the vulnerable software attempts to render or process these documents.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with common software security weaknesses documented in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, particularly CWE-125 for out-of-bounds read conditions and CWE-787 for out-of-bounds write operations. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with heap-based buffer overflow vulnerabilities that have been frequently exploited in Adobe products, making it a prime target for advanced persistent threat actors and malware authors. When a user opens a maliciously crafted PDF file, the vulnerable Adobe Reader or Acrobat application allocates memory for processing the document content without proper bounds checking, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations with malicious code or cause application crashes through controlled memory corruption.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to enterprise environments where Adobe Reader is widely deployed for document viewing and processing. The attack vectors typically involve social engineering campaigns where users are tricked into opening malicious PDF attachments through email phishing, compromised websites, or malicious file sharing platforms. The exploitability of this vulnerability means that successful attacks can result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected user. Organizations may experience widespread disruption through denial of service conditions, potential data breaches, and unauthorized access to sensitive corporate documents and information systems.
Security mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patch deployment for all affected Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions, implementing strict document filtering policies, and deploying sandboxing technologies to isolate PDF processing activities. Network-based defenses such as intrusion prevention systems and web application firewalls should be configured to scan and block suspicious PDF content. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of verifying document sources and avoiding opening unexpected PDF attachments. Organizations should consider implementing privileged account protection measures and monitoring for suspicious process execution patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption flaw makes it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged for privilege escalation attacks and persistence mechanisms within compromised systems, warranting comprehensive incident response planning and security monitoring protocols.