CVE-2013-3339 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-2013-2732, CVE-2013-2734, CVE-2013-2735, CVE-2013-2736, CVE-2013-3337, CVE-2013-3338, 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 complex attack surface within Adobe's document processing engine. The flaw exists in the way these applications handle certain document structures, particularly those involving embedded objects or malformed data streams that trigger buffer overflows or heap corruption during parsing operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management practices within Adobe's PDF processing libraries. When processing maliciously crafted PDF documents, the affected software fails to properly bounds-check memory allocations or validate object structures, leading to unpredictable memory corruption patterns. Attackers can exploit this by crafting PDF files that contain specially constructed elements designed to trigger the memory corruption during document rendering or parsing. The vulnerability typically manifests when the application attempts to process embedded JavaScript, XFA forms, or complex graphics elements that exceed expected memory boundaries.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to enterprise environments where Adobe Reader remains the primary PDF viewing solution. The attack surface is broad since PDF documents are commonly shared via email, web downloads, and file transfers, making exploitation relatively easy for threat actors. Successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise through remote code execution, allowing attackers to install malware, establish persistent backdoors, or exfiltrate sensitive data. Organizations running older versions of Adobe Reader are particularly vulnerable since these applications are often deployed across multiple endpoints without regular patching cycles.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigation strategies including mandatory patching of all affected Adobe Reader and Acrobat installations to the latest versions. Network-based controls such as PDF content filtering and sandboxing solutions can provide additional protection layers while patches are deployed. The vulnerability aligns with common attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework under techniques related to exploit development and privilege escalation. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of untrusted PDF documents and regularly audit their Adobe Reader deployments for compliance with security baselines. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software patches and highlights the persistent risks associated with legacy software environments that remain in production use without proper lifecycle management.