CVE-2012-2049 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.5.2 and 10.x before 10.1.4 on Windows and Mac OS X allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2049 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw affecting Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions prior to 9.5.2 and 10.1.4 on both Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. This vulnerability resides within the software's handling of malformed input data structures, specifically within the processing of PDF documents that contain crafted malicious content. The flaw manifests when the application attempts to parse certain elements within PDF files, leading to improper memory management during stack operations.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs due to insufficient bounds checking mechanisms within the Adobe Reader and Acrobat parsing routines. When processing specially crafted PDF content, the application fails to validate the size of incoming data before copying it to fixed-size stack buffers. This oversight allows attackers to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations, potentially corrupting the program's execution flow and enabling arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through standard PDF document processing without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond opening the malicious file.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2049 extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with a powerful foothold for further compromise within targeted systems. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and can be leveraged through techniques consistent with the ATT&CK framework's execution tactics. Attackers can craft PDF documents that exploit this vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads, potentially including malware installation, privilege escalation, or data exfiltration operations. The widespread adoption of Adobe Reader across enterprise environments makes this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors seeking mass impact.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through patch management processes to address this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation involves updating Adobe Reader and Acrobat to versions 9.5.2 or 10.1.4, which contain the necessary memory boundary checks and input validation improvements. Additionally, implementing PDF content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms can provide defense-in-depth protection. Security teams should also consider network-based intrusion detection system rules specifically targeting known exploit patterns for this vulnerability, as well as conducting thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running affected software versions. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software and proper input validation practices in preventing remote code execution exploits.