Description
Integer overflow in CoolType.dll in Adobe Reader 8.2.3 and 9.3.3, and Acrobat 9.3.3, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a TrueType font with a large maxCompositePoints value in a Maximum Profile (maxp) table.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 5 | acroread +1 | 9.3.4-1.el5 | RHSA-2010:0636 |
| RHEL 4 | acroread +1 | 9.3.4-1.el4 | RHSA-2010:0636 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- Acrobat Acrobat - Font Parsing Integer Overflow EDB-14642 · dos · Aug 14, 2010 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 1
- RHSA-2010:0636 Red Hat Security Advisory: acroread security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 29, 2026
References
- 40766 third-party-advisory
- TA10-231A third-party-advisory
- http://securityevaluators.com/files/papers/CrashAnalysis.pdf
- http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-threats/2010/08/04/adobe-confirms-pdf-security-hole-in-reader-40089737/
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:11693 vdb-entry signature