CVE-2011-0606 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in rt3d.dll in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.0.1, 9.x before 9.4.2, and 8.x before 8.2.6 on Windows and Mac OS X allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors related to a crafted length value, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-0563 and CVE-2011-0589.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/18/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-0606 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the rt3d.dll component of Adobe Reader and Acrobat software across multiple versions. This vulnerability specifically affects Adobe Reader versions 10.x before 10.0.1, 9.x before 9.4.2, and 8.x before 8.2.6 on both Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. The flaw manifests when the software processes crafted length values in malformed input data, creating a condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations on the stack.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper bounds checking within the rt3d.dll library responsible for handling 3D graphics rendering in Adobe's document processing framework. When the application encounters a specially crafted document containing malformed length parameters, the insufficient validation allows an attacker to overflow the allocated stack buffer and overwrite critical memory regions including return addresses and stack canaries. This memory corruption directly enables remote code execution capabilities by allowing attackers to manipulate the program's execution flow and inject malicious code into the target system's memory space. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level of the application's memory management system, making it particularly dangerous for exploitation.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-0606 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass full system compromise capabilities for remote attackers. Successful exploitation can result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected user, potentially leading to complete system takeover, data exfiltration, and persistent backdoor installation. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can deliver malicious documents through email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites without requiring local system access. This makes the flaw particularly attractive to threat actors targeting enterprise environments where Adobe Reader remains widely deployed for document viewing and collaboration. The memory corruption effects can also cause application crashes and system instability, creating additional denial of service scenarios that may be leveraged for more sophisticated attack vectors.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Adobe Reader and Acrobat installations to mitigate this vulnerability, as the flaw has been actively exploited in the wild. The mitigation strategy should include implementing application whitelisting controls, disabling Adobe Reader's automatic document opening features, and employing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider deploying sandboxing solutions to isolate Adobe Reader processes and limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework under the 'Exploitation of Remote Services' and 'Command and Control' tactics, demonstrating how memory corruption vulnerabilities can enable broader attack chains. The CWE-121 category classification indicates this as a classic stack-based buffer overflow, which has historically been one of the most prevalent and dangerous vulnerability types in software security. Organizations should also implement regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify potential exploitation paths and ensure comprehensive defense in depth strategies are in place to protect against similar vulnerabilities.