CVE-2013-2722 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-2013-2720, CVE-2013-2721, 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 implementation flaw within the Adobe Acrobat processing engine. The memory corruption aspect suggests that attackers can manipulate memory structures through crafted PDF files, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution within the context of the vulnerable application. This type of vulnerability typically arises from insufficient input validation or improper memory management within the PDF parsing components that handle various object types and their associated data structures. The vulnerability affects multiple product versions across different major releases, indicating a widespread issue within the Adobe Acrobat codebase that was not properly addressed in the affected versions. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple code paths within the PDF processing engine could be exploited, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it may be triggerable through various PDF elements or formatting constructs. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of memory corruption flaws that can be exploited through crafted input data. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to organizations relying on Adobe Reader for document processing, as it could be exploited through malicious PDF attachments in email campaigns or web-based delivery methods. The attack surface expands when considering that PDF files are commonly used in business environments, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to compromise endpoints through social engineering or drive-by download attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability likely involves improper handling of memory allocation or deallocation during PDF object processing, potentially through malformed or specially crafted PDF elements such as arrays, dictionaries, or stream objects that trigger buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions. The memory corruption could occur when the application processes specific PDF elements that are not properly validated before being processed, leading to memory corruption that may be exploitable through controlled data manipulation. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability through malicious PDF files delivered via email or web-based attacks, where the PDF is opened automatically by the vulnerable application, triggering the memory corruption and enabling code execution. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution threat means that no local system access is required for exploitation, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources. This vulnerability may also be classified under ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for privilege escalation, as successful exploitation could provide attackers with elevated privileges within the user context. The memory corruption nature of the vulnerability also suggests potential for denial of service attacks, where the application crashes or becomes unresponsive due to corrupted memory structures, effectively disabling the PDF processing capability.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions to mitigate this vulnerability, as the potential for remote code execution makes it a critical security concern. The patching process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the updates do not break existing document processing functionality or compatibility with legitimate PDF documents. Security administrators should also implement additional controls such as PDF file scanning, restricted PDF opening permissions, and user education about the risks of opening untrusted PDF files. Network-based defenses such as web application firewalls or content filtering systems may help reduce the risk of exploitation by blocking malicious PDF content before it reaches user systems. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond individual user endpoints, as successful exploitation could lead to broader network compromise through lateral movement or credential theft, particularly in environments where Adobe Reader is frequently used to open documents containing sensitive information. Regular security assessments should include verification of Adobe Reader and Acrobat installations to ensure that all systems are running patched versions, with particular attention to legacy systems that may not receive updates. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software security patches and highlights the risks associated with using outdated software versions in enterprise environments where security controls are essential for protecting against advanced persistent threats. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing or virtualization techniques for PDF processing to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.