CVE-2010-3626 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.4, and 8.x before 8.2.5 on Windows and Mac OS X, allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted font, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-2889.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/26/2021
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.x prior to 9.4 and 8.x prior to 8.2.5 contain an unspecified vulnerability that enables remote code execution through malicious font files. This vulnerability specifically affects Windows and Mac OS X operating systems and represents a distinct issue from CVE-2010-2889. The flaw occurs when the software processes crafted font files that contain malicious code, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of heap-based buffer overflows as described in CWE-122, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The attack vector involves luring victims into opening specially crafted PDF documents containing malicious fonts, which triggers the vulnerable code path during font rendering operations. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 by enabling adversaries to gain code execution capabilities through document-based attacks. The security implications extend beyond simple code execution as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistence mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic software flaw in input validation where font parsing routines fail to properly validate font file structures, particularly in handling malformed or malicious font data. Attackers can leverage this weakness to inject and execute malicious code within the context of the Adobe Reader or Acrobat application process. The affected versions represent a critical security gap that required immediate patching, as the vulnerability could be exploited without user interaction once a malicious document was opened. This issue highlights the importance of proper input sanitization and bounds checking in multimedia processing components, particularly those handling font rendering in document viewers. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the widespread use of Adobe Reader and Acrobat across enterprise environments, making it a prime target for nation-state actors and cybercriminals seeking to exploit unpatched systems. Organizations running affected versions should prioritize immediate patch deployment to prevent potential exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability presents a clear path to privilege escalation and persistent access within targeted networks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates how font processing routines can serve as attack surfaces for remote code execution. When Adobe Reader or Acrobat encounters a malicious font file, the parsing logic fails to properly validate the font structure, leading to memory corruption that attackers can manipulate. This memory corruption typically manifests as stack or heap overflows, which are common in software that does not adequately validate input data. The vulnerability represents a failure in the software's defensive programming practices, specifically in implementing proper bounds checking and input validation for font file processing. The flaw exists in the font rendering engine's handling of malformed font data, which occurs during the document parsing phase when the application attempts to display or process font information. This vulnerability type is categorized under CWE-122 and CWE-129, representing heap-based buffer overflows and improper input validation respectively. The attack requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious document, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. Security researchers have identified that the vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of font file headers and structure elements, allowing attackers to craft font files that trigger memory corruption during parsing operations. The exploitation process typically involves creating a specially crafted PDF document containing the malicious font, which when opened triggers the vulnerable code path in the font processing library. This vulnerability type has been observed in similar contexts within other Adobe products and demonstrates the need for comprehensive input validation across all document processing components. The vulnerability's presence in both Windows and Mac OS X environments indicates a cross-platform attack capability, making it particularly concerning for organizations with heterogeneous operating system deployments. The security implications extend to enterprise environments where Adobe Reader is commonly used for document sharing, creating potential attack vectors through phishing campaigns or malicious document distribution. Organizations should implement network-based protections including email filtering and web proxy scanning to prevent delivery of malicious documents containing this vulnerability. The patching process for this vulnerability requires careful consideration of compatibility issues, as Adobe Reader and Acrobat are widely used applications that may have dependencies on specific font processing behaviors. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing layered security controls to protect against zero-day exploits that target widely used applications.