Adobe Fixes 29 Flaws In Acrobat And Reader

At least one of the vulnerabilities addressed is being actively exploited.

Thomas Claburn, Editor at Large, Enterprise Mobility

October 14, 2009

1 Min Read
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Microsoft wasn't the only company issuing a major security patch on Tuesday.

Adobe released a fix for 29 vulnerabilities in its Acrobat and Acrobat Reader software, warning that the vulnerabilities could be exploited to cause crashes and to take control of the user's computer.

Adobe rates the update as "crtical" and warns that one of the vulnerabilities (CVE-2009-3459) is actively being exploited.

Security company Trend Micro reported last week that it had discovered a zero-day exploit making use of this vulnerability. The malware consists of a PDF file with embedded JavaScript that executes arbitrary code using a technique called heap spraying.

A successful attack results in the installation of a backdoor that provides the attacker with unrestricted user-level access.

Affected software includes Adobe Reader 9.1.3 and Acrobat 9.1.3, Adobe Reader 8.1.6 and Acrobat 8.1.6 for Windows, Macintosh and UNIX, and Adobe Reader 7.1.3 and Acrobat 7.1.3 for Windows and Macintosh.

Updated software will become version 9.2, 8.17, or 7.14.

Adobe's software has become a popular target for cyber criminals because of its broad distribution.

According to the 2009 Top Cyber Security Risks report, released in September by the SANS Institute, "'File Format Vulnerabilities' continue to be the first choice for attackers to conduct zero-day and targeted attacks. Most of the attacks continue to target Adobe PDF, Flash Player and Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Excel and Word) software."

Adobe's Acrobat and Reader software accounted for four of the top 30 vulnerabilities cited in the report, with four more spots going to Adobe's Flash software.

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About the Author

Thomas Claburn

Editor at Large, Enterprise Mobility

Thomas Claburn has been writing about business and technology since 1996, for publications such as New Architect, PC Computing, InformationWeek, Salon, Wired, and Ziff Davis Smart Business. Before that, he worked in film and television, having earned a not particularly useful master's degree in film production. He wrote the original treatment for 3DO's Killing Time, a short story that appeared in On Spec, and the screenplay for an independent film called The Hanged Man, which he would later direct. He's the author of a science fiction novel, Reflecting Fires, and a sadly neglected blog, Lot 49. His iPhone game, Blocfall, is available through the iTunes App Store. His wife is a talented jazz singer; he does not sing, which is for the best.

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