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Adobe Acrobat Vulnerability

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Adobe Acrobat, Reader, and Flash Player are prone to a remote code-execution vulnerability. An attacker can exploit this issue by supplying a malicious Flash ('.swf') file or by embedding a malicious Flash application in a PDF file. Successful exploits may allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the user running the affected application.

Adobe Acrobat, Reader, and Flash Player Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Risk

High

Date Discovered

July 21, 2009

Description

Adobe Acrobat, Reader, and Flash Player are prone to a remote code-execution vulnerability. An attacker can exploit this issue by supplying a malicious Flash ('.swf') file or by embedding a malicious Flash application in a PDF file. Successful exploits may allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the user running the affected application. Failed attempts will likely result in denial-of-service conditions. The issue affects the following: Reader and Acrobat 9.1.2 Flash Player 9 and 10

Technologies Affected

  • Adobe AIR 1.0
  • Adobe AIR 1.01
  • Adobe AIR 1.1
  • Adobe AIR 1.5
  • Adobe AIR 1.5.1
  • Adobe Acrobat Professional 9
  • Adobe Acrobat Professional 9.1
  • Adobe Acrobat Professional 9.1.2
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader 9
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.1
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.1.1
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.1.2
  • Adobe Acrobat Standard 9
  • Adobe Acrobat Standard 9.1
  • Adobe Acrobat Standard 9.1.2
  • Adobe Flash Player 10
  • Adobe Flash Player 10.0.12 .35
  • Adobe Flash Player 10.0.12 .36
  • Adobe Flash Player 10.0.15 .3
  • Adobe Flash Player 10.0.22.87
  • Adobe Flash Player 9
  • Adobe Flash Player 9.0.115.0
  • Adobe Flash Player 9.0.124.0
  • Adobe Flash Player 9.0.151 .0
  • Adobe Flash Player 9.0.152 .0
  • Adobe Flash Player 9.0.159.0
  • Adobe Flash Player 9.0.28.0
  • Adobe Flash Player 9.0.31.0
  • Adobe Flash Player 9.0.45.0
  • Adobe Flash Player 9.0.47.0
  • Adobe Flash Player 9.0.48.0
  • Adobe Reader 9.1.2
  • Gentoo Linux
  • Pardus Linux 2008
  • Pardus Linux 2009
  • RedHat Desktop Extras 3
  • RedHat Desktop Extras 4
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux AS Extras 3
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux AS Extras 4
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux Desktop Supplementary 5 client
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux ES Extras 3
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux ES Extras 4
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux Extras 3
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux Extras 4
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux Supplementary 5 server
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux WS Extras 3
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux WS Extras 4
  • S.u.S.E. Novell Linux Desktop 9
  • S.u.S.E. SLED 11
  • S.u.S.E. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 SP2
  • S.u.S.E. openSUSE 10.3
  • S.u.S.E. openSUSE 11.0
  • S.u.S.E. openSUSE 11.1

Recommendations

Run all software as a nonprivileged user with minimal access rights.

To reduce the impact of latent vulnerabilities, run the application with the minimal amount of privileges required for functionality.

Deploy network intrusion detection systems to monitor network traffic for malicious activity.

Deploy NIDS to monitor network traffic for signs of anomalous or suspicious activity including unexplained incoming and outgoing traffic. This may indicate exploit attempts or activity that results from successful exploits.

Do not accept or execute files from untrusted or unknown sources.

To reduce the likelihood of successful exploits, never handle files that originate from unfamiliar or untrusted sources.

Do not follow links provided by unknown or untrusted sources.

To reduce the likelihood of attacks, never visit sites of questionable integrity or follow links provided by unfamiliar or untrusted sources.

Implement multiple redundant layers of security.

Various memory-protection schemes (such as nonexecutable and randomly mapped memory segments) may hinder an attacker's ability to exploit code-execution vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code.
Updates are available. Please see the references for details.

References

Credits

Adobe

Copyright (c) 2009 Symantec Corporation

Permission to redistribute this alert electronically is granted as long as it is not edited in any way unless authorized by Symantec Security Response. Reprinting the whole or part of this alert in any medium other than electronically requires permission from This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Disclaimer

The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing based on currently available information. Use of the information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are no warranties with regard to this information. Neither the author nor the publisher accepts any liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on, this information.
Symantec, Symantec products, Symantec Security Response, and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it are registered trademarks of Symantec Corp. and/or affiliated companies in the United States and other countries. All other registered and unregistered trademarks represented in this document are the sole property of their respective companies/owners.

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Internet Explorer Critical Vulnerability

July 28, 2009: Microsoft has released 2 out-of-band security bulletins and one security advisory. Addresses code execution vulnerabilities in Microsoft Internet Explorer and is specific to code execution vulnerabilities in Microsoft Visual Studio and Visual C++. An advisory covering the issues in ATL (Active Template Library) can be found here.

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