CVE-2013-2720 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.5.5, 10.x before 10.1.7, and 11.x before 11.0.03 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2013-2718, CVE-2013-2719, CVE-2013-2721, CVE-2013-2722, CVE-2013-2723, CVE-2013-2725, CVE-2013-2726, CVE-2013-2731, CVE-2013-2732, CVE-2013-2734, CVE-2013-2735, CVE-2013-2736, CVE-2013-3337, CVE-2013-3338, CVE-2013-3339, CVE-2013-3340, and CVE-2013-3341.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2021
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions prior to 9.5.5, 10.1.7, and 11.0.03 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 threat model from several other CVEs published in the same timeframe, indicating a separate code path or memory handling issue within the Adobe Acrobat processing engine. The flaw resides in the way these applications handle certain PDF file structures, particularly those involving malformed or specially crafted elements that trigger memory corruption during parsing operations. The vulnerability affects multiple product versions and demonstrates the complexity of memory management issues in enterprise document processing software, where improper bounds checking or memory allocation patterns can lead to exploitable conditions. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that the vulnerability could be triggered through various PDF elements including but not limited to embedded objects, streams, or structural components that are processed during document rendering. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations, both of which are common in memory corruption flaws. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Adobe Reader is widely deployed across enterprise environments and is frequently used to open documents from untrusted sources, making it a prime target for social engineering campaigns. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue places it within the ATT&CK framework under the technique of T1203, which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities for privilege escalation or code execution. The security implications extend beyond simple exploitation to include potential denial of service scenarios where attackers can crash the application or cause system instability. Organizations running affected versions should prioritize immediate patching as the vulnerability can be exploited through simple PDF file delivery without requiring user interaction beyond opening the document. The complexity of the PDF processing engine means that even seemingly benign documents can contain malicious payloads that trigger this memory corruption during normal processing operations. This vulnerability highlights the ongoing challenges in securing complex document processing applications where the parsing of structured formats like PDF requires extensive memory management and can be susceptible to various forms of buffer overflow or memory corruption attacks.
The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the widespread adoption of Adobe Reader across different operating systems and enterprise environments, creating a broad attack surface that can be leveraged by threat actors. Memory corruption vulnerabilities of this nature often require sophisticated exploitation techniques that can bypass modern security mitigations such as ASLR and DEP, though the specific exploitation methods for CVE-2013-2720 remain unspecified in public reports. The affected versions span multiple major releases, indicating that the underlying memory handling issue was present across different code bases and development cycles within Adobe's Acrobat product line. This particular vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks in complex software systems where multiple parsing components interact, and where a single memory corruption issue can provide attackers with complete system compromise. The lack of specific vector details in the CVE description suggests that the vulnerability may be triggered through multiple attack paths, potentially including malformed PDF headers, corrupted embedded content, or specially crafted object structures. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls beyond patching, including PDF sandboxing, content filtering, and network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious PDF file characteristics. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs, particularly for widely deployed enterprise software applications that handle untrusted content. From a security operations perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk that requires immediate attention and remediation to prevent potential exploitation in real-world attack scenarios. The nature of the flaw suggests that it may be possible to craft PDF files that trigger the memory corruption without requiring user interaction, making it particularly dangerous for automated attack scenarios. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of keeping enterprise software updated and the potential consequences of running outdated software versions in production environments.