CVE-2013-3340 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-2013-3339, and CVE-2013-3341.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2021
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions prior to the specified patches 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 year, indicating that attackers can manipulate memory structures within the application to achieve unauthorized code execution or system instability. The vulnerability affects multiple product versions including Adobe Reader 9.x before 9.5.5, 10.x before 10.1.7, and 11.x before 11.0.03, demonstrating the widespread impact across the Adobe Acrobat ecosystem. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability aligns with common software security weaknesses documented in CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to memory corruption. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability typically leverage crafted malicious PDF files that trigger memory corruption when the vulnerable application processes specific elements within the document structure. The attack surface extends beyond simple document rendering to include various parsing operations that handle user-supplied data, making this a particularly dangerous vulnerability for organizations that process untrusted PDF content. This vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK framework's technique T1203, which encompasses exploitation of remote services, and T1059, covering command and scripting interpreters, as attackers can potentially execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems. The memory corruption nature of the flaw means that successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to gain full control over the affected machine, or alternatively cause denial of service conditions that prevent legitimate users from accessing critical document processing capabilities. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability as it represents a significant risk to enterprise security infrastructure where Adobe Reader remains a widely used document viewer application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves memory handling errors that occur during PDF document processing, particularly when parsing complex or malformed document elements. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple attack paths exist within the application's processing pipeline, potentially including improper handling of embedded objects, JavaScript execution contexts, or resource management operations. This type of vulnerability typically arises from insufficient input validation and memory bounds checking within the PDF parser component of Adobe Reader. The vulnerability's classification as memory corruption places it within CWE-787, which describes out-of-bounds writes that can lead to arbitrary code execution. Security researchers have identified that the vulnerability can be triggered through various PDF elements including but not limited to embedded fonts, images, or complex graphical operations. The fact that this vulnerability is separate from other CVEs published in the same timeframe indicates that it involves distinct code paths or processing logic within the application's PDF engine. Attackers often utilize social engineering techniques to deliver malicious PDF files that exploit this vulnerability, as users frequently open PDF documents from email attachments or web downloads without proper security validation. The exploitation process typically requires the user to open a specially crafted PDF file that contains malformed data structures designed to trigger the memory corruption during document rendering. This vulnerability demonstrates the challenges inherent in securing complex software applications that must process untrusted binary data formats like PDF, where the parsing logic must handle extensive variability in document structure and content types.
Organizations facing this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigation strategies including patch management, application hardening, and user awareness training. The recommended approach involves deploying the official security patches provided by Adobe, which address the underlying memory corruption issues in the PDF processing engine. System administrators should prioritize patch deployment across all affected versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat, particularly in environments where users regularly process external PDF documents. Network segmentation and email filtering solutions should be enhanced to prevent delivery of potentially malicious PDF files to end users, while endpoint protection solutions should be configured to scan PDF content for suspicious elements. The vulnerability's potential for remote code execution makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Adobe Reader is commonly used for document review and collaboration. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and endpoint detection systems, as indicators of compromise may include unusual PDF processing activity or system behavior patterns associated with memory corruption attacks. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patches in controlled environments before widespread deployment to ensure compatibility with existing business processes and document workflows. Organizations should also consider implementing alternative document viewing solutions or sandboxing techniques for processing untrusted PDF content, as these approaches can provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments of document processing environments should be conducted to identify potential attack vectors and ensure that security controls remain effective against evolving threat landscapes. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the critical role that timely vulnerability management plays in protecting organizational assets from sophisticated cyber threats.