Zero-day vulnerability in Adobe Reader

Stack-based buffer overflow
CVE-2007-5659

The vendor was notified of this vulnerability on 10/10/2007, however the patched was issued only 7 month later.

Known malware:

Exploit kits: Impact, Incognito, Phoenix, Siberia, Styx.

Vulnerability details

Advisory: SB2008020701 - Multiple vulnerabilities in Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat

Vulnerable component: Adobe Reader

CVE-ID: CVE-2007-5659

CVSSv3 score: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:H/RL:O/RC:C

CWE-ID: CWE-119 - Memory corruption

Description:

The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the target system.

The weakness exists due to a boundary error within Javascript method. A remote attacker can create a specially .pdf file, trick the victim into opening it, trigger stack-based buffer overflow and execute arbitrary code on the target system with privileges of the current user.

Successful exploitation of the vulnerability results in arbitrary code execution on the vulnerable system.

Note: the vulnerability was being actively exploited.

Public Exploits:

- Adobe - Collab.collectEmailInfo() Buffer Overflow (Metasploit) [Exploit-DB]

- Adobe Acrobat and Reader 8.1.1 - Multiple Arbitrary Code Execution / Security Vulnerabilities [Exploit-DB]

External links:

https://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb08-13.html
http://www.adobe.com/support/security/advisories/apsa08-01.html
https://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2009-121708-1022-99
https://zeltser.com/pdf-stream-dumper-malicious-file-analysis/
http://infosec-summit.issa-balt.org/assets/Presentations/Jeremy_Conway_-_A_Look_Inside_the_PDF_Attac...

About zero-day vulnerabilities

Zero-day vulnerability is an undisclosed vulnerability in software that hackers can exploit to compromise computer programs, gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, penetrate networks, etc. We consider vulnerability a zero-day when there is no solution provided from software vendor and the vulnerability is being actively exploited by malicious actors.

Zero-day candidate is a potential zero-day vulnerability in software which might have been used in targeted attacks, however there is no evidence to support this suggestion.