CVE-2013-2729
Adobe Reader and Acrobat Arbitrary Integer Overflow Vulnerability
Description
CVE-2013-2729 is a critical remote code execution vulnerability (CWE-190) in Adobe Reader and Acrobat caused by an integer overflow condition during the processing of specially crafted PDF files. An attacker can exploit this flaw by distributing a malicious PDF document that, when opened by the victim, triggers the integer overflow and enables arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user. CISA has confirmed active exploitation and added CVE-2013-2729 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. With an EPSS score of 89.1% (99.9th percentile), this vulnerability represents one of the most exploited PDF-based attack vectors.
KEV Information
CVSS Score
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HOpen in CalculatorAffected Products
| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| adobe | acrobat | >= 9.0, < 9.5.5; >= 10.0, < 10.1.7; >= 11.0, < 11.0.03 |
| adobe | acrobat reader | >= 9.0, < 9.5.5; >= 10.0, < 10.1.7; >= 11.0, < 11.0.03 |
| suse | linux enterprise desktop | 10; 11 |
| redhat | enterprise linux desktop | 6.0 |
| redhat | enterprise linux eus | 5.9; 6.4 |
| redhat | enterprise linux server | 6.0 |
| redhat | enterprise linux server aus | 5.9; 6.4 |
| redhat | enterprise linux workstation | 6.0 |
Multiple CVSS Assessments
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2013-05/msg00004.html(Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0826.html(Third Party Advisory)
- http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-201308-03.xml(Third Party Advisory)
- http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb13-15.html(Not Applicable, Patch, Vendor Advisory)
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A16717(Broken Link)
- https://github.com/cisagov/vulnrichment/issues/199(Issue Tracking)
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2013-2729(US Government Resource)
Weakness Type
CWE-190: Integer Overflow or Wraparound
CWE-190 describes a weakness where an integer value is incremented to a value that is too large to store in the associated representation, causing the value to wrap around and produce an unexpectedly small or negative number. In CVE-2013-2729, Adobe Reader and Acrobat encounter an integer overflow during PDF processing that leads to an undersized memory allocation, which is subsequently overflowed with attacker-controlled data, enabling arbitrary code execution.
Learn more: CWE-190 — Integer Overflow or Wraparound
Impact Analysis
CVE-2013-2729 is exploitable by distributing a malicious PDF file via email, web download, or file sharing, requiring only that the victim opens the document in Adobe Reader or Acrobat. Successful exploitation grants the attacker code execution with the privileges of the user running the PDF reader, which in most environments provides access to the user's files, email, browser data, and network resources. Confidentiality is fully compromised as the attacker can exfiltrate any data accessible to the victim. Integrity and availability are equally impacted through malware deployment, data manipulation, and potential ransomware installation. The 99.9th percentile EPSS score reflects that this vulnerability has been extensively weaponized and used in large-scale attack campaigns.
Exploit Maturity
CVE-2013-2729 is confirmed as actively exploited in the wild by CISA and is listed in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The EPSS score of 89.1% (99.9th percentile) indicates near-certain real-world exploitation, and this vulnerability has been integrated into multiple exploit kits and used in widespread malicious PDF campaigns. PDF-based exploits are particularly effective because PDF is a universally trusted document format, and many users open PDF attachments without suspicion.
Remediation
- Update Adobe Reader and Acrobat to the latest patched versions immediately, applying Adobe Security Bulletin APSB13-15 (May 2013) to address CVE-2013-2729.
- Enable Protected Mode (sandboxing) in Adobe Reader and Acrobat to limit the impact of exploitation by restricting the compromised process's access to the operating system.
- Deploy email and web gateway filtering to scan incoming PDF files for known exploit signatures and malicious content before they reach end users.
- Consider migrating to alternative PDF readers with enhanced security features or using browser-based PDF rendering, which provides additional sandboxing protections.
- Educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited PDF attachments and implement organizational policies requiring verification of unexpected documents from external sources.
Technical Details
CVE-2013-2729 is an integer overflow vulnerability (CWE-190) in Adobe Reader and Acrobat that occurs during the processing of a specially crafted BMP-compressed data stream embedded within a PDF file. When the PDF parser calculates the size of a memory buffer based on attacker-controlled image dimension values, the multiplication overflows, resulting in an undersized heap allocation. The subsequent write operation then copies more data into the buffer than was allocated, causing a classic heap buffer overflow. The attacker can control the overflow data to overwrite adjacent heap metadata or objects, enabling them to hijack program execution flow. By combining this with heap spraying techniques to place shellcode at predictable memory addresses, the attacker achieves reliable arbitrary code execution within the Adobe Reader process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2013-2729 being actively exploited?
Yes. CVE-2013-2729 is confirmed as actively exploited in the wild and is listed in the CISA KEV catalog. The EPSS score of 89.1% (99.9th percentile) reflects near-certain exploitation activity, and the vulnerability has been integrated into multiple exploit kits for widespread PDF-based attacks.
What products are affected by CVE-2013-2729?
CVE-2013-2729 affects Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.x through 9.5.4, 10.x through 10.1.6, and 11.x through 11.0.02 on both Windows and macOS platforms.
How do I fix CVE-2013-2729?
Update Adobe Reader and Acrobat to the latest versions per Adobe Security Bulletin APSB13-15 (May 2013). Enable Protected Mode in Adobe Reader for additional sandboxing protection, and deploy email filtering to block malicious PDFs.
How severe is CVE-2013-2729?
CVE-2013-2729 is rated CRITICAL and enables full remote code execution through a malicious PDF document. The 99.9th percentile EPSS score and CISA KEV listing confirm this is one of the most extensively exploited PDF-based vulnerabilities, requiring urgent remediation.
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