CVE-2010-3703 in Poppler
Summary
by MITRE
The PostScriptFunction::PostScriptFunction function in poppler/Function.cc in the PDF parser in poppler 0.8.7 and possibly other versions up to 0.15.1, and possibly other products, allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a PDF file that triggers an uninitialized pointer dereference.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/28/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3703 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the poppler PDF parsing library, specifically affecting versions up to 0.15.1. This issue resides in the PostScriptFunction::PostScriptFunction function located in poppler/Function.cc, which processes PostScript-based functions within PDF documents. The flaw manifests when a maliciously crafted PDF file is processed by the affected software, leading to a system crash due to an uninitialized pointer dereference. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues and can be classified as a CWE-476 Null Pointer Dereference, which occurs when a program attempts to access memory through a null pointer reference, causing an application to crash or behave unpredictably.
The technical execution of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a specific PDF file that contains malformed PostScript function data that triggers the uninitialized pointer dereference during parsing operations. When the poppler library attempts to process this malformed data, it fails to properly initialize certain pointers before dereferencing them, resulting in a segmentation fault or similar crash condition. This vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in input validation and memory management within the PDF parsing logic, particularly in how the library handles PostScript function objects that may contain unexpected or malformed data structures. The context-dependent nature of this attack means that the vulnerability can only be exploited when a user or application processes the malicious PDF file, making it a targeted rather than a widespread remote attack vector.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-3703 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be leveraged by attackers to create persistent denial of service conditions against systems that rely on poppler for PDF processing. This includes web applications, document management systems, email clients, and any software that integrates poppler for PDF rendering or parsing. The vulnerability affects not only the specific poppler library but potentially other software products that incorporate this library, making it a significant concern for organizations that depend on PDF processing capabilities. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, as it can be used to disrupt services by causing applications to crash. The impact is particularly severe in environments where PDF processing is automated or occurs in high-volume scenarios, as a single malicious document could potentially bring down entire document processing pipelines.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-3703 should focus on immediate patching of affected poppler versions, with organizations upgrading to versions 0.15.2 or later where the uninitialized pointer dereference has been addressed. System administrators should implement strict input validation for PDF files, particularly in environments where users can upload or process untrusted documents. Additionally, deploying web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can help detect and block potentially malicious PDF files before they reach the parsing layer. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper memory initialization and input validation practices in security-critical libraries, and organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their PDF processing components. From a defensive standpoint, implementing sandboxing techniques for PDF processing and monitoring for unusual crash patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. The fix for this vulnerability typically involves ensuring that all pointers are properly initialized before use, implementing proper error handling for malformed PDF data, and adding additional validation checks for PostScript function parameters to prevent the uninitialized pointer dereference condition that leads to the crash.