CVE-2013-2732 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-2013-2722, CVE-2013-2723, CVE-2013-2725, CVE-2013-2726, CVE-2013-2731, 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 9.x before 9.5.5, 10.x before 10.1.7, and 11.x before 11.0.03 contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability represents a distinct threat model from several related CVE entries published in the same timeframe, indicating a broader class of memory safety issues within Adobe's PDF processing libraries. The flaw resides in how the software handles certain PDF objects and streams during parsing operations, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory structures through crafted malicious PDF documents. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue aligns with common CWE categories such as CWE-125 out-of-bounds read conditions and CWE-787 out-of-bounds write conditions, which are frequently exploited in document processing applications due to the complex nature of PDF file formats and their extensive object model.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation scenarios to encompass significant security risks for organizations relying on Adobe Reader for document handling. Attackers can leverage this memory corruption flaw to inject malicious code into the target system, potentially gaining full control over the affected machine or executing arbitrary commands with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable software. The denial of service aspect of the vulnerability can also be weaponized to disrupt business operations through persistent application crashes or system instability. Given the widespread deployment of Adobe Reader across enterprise environments, this vulnerability represents a substantial risk to organizational security postures and can serve as an initial access vector for more sophisticated attack campaigns. The vulnerability's exploitation typically requires social engineering elements to deliver malicious PDF files to target users, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns where users may inadvertently open compromised documents.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through patch management processes to upgrade to Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.5.5, 10.1.7, and 11.0.03 respectively, which contain the necessary security fixes for this vulnerability. System administrators should implement additional defensive measures such as restricting PDF file execution permissions, deploying sandboxing solutions for PDF processing, and establishing network-based controls to filter potentially malicious PDF content. The vulnerability's nature suggests that attackers may leverage techniques from the attack matrix such as initial access through malicious email attachments or web-based exploitation, with potential lateral movement capabilities once initial compromise occurs. Security monitoring should focus on identifying unusual PDF processing activities, unexpected application crashes, and anomalous network connections from systems running vulnerable Adobe software. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing of patched environments to ensure that updates do not introduce compatibility issues with existing document workflows while maintaining appropriate security controls for document handling operations.