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Vulnerability Note VU#200132

Various UNIX and Linux PDF readers/viewers execute commands embedded within hyperlinks

Overview

A vulnerability in various UNIX and Linux PDF viewers/readers may allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on your system.

I. Description

Adobe Systems Incorporated describes PDF (Portable Document Format) as "a universal file format that preserves the fonts, images, graphics, and layout of any source document, regardless of the application and platform used to create it." A viewer such as Adobe Reader or Xpdf is needed to view a document encoded in PDF. Various PDF viewers are widely deployed on the Internet. Quoting from the Adobe Systems Incorporated web site:

    Governments and enterprises around the world have adopted PDF to streamline document management, increase productivity, and reduce reliance on paper....An open file format specification, PDF is available to anyone who wants to develop tools to create, view, or manipulate PDF documents. Indeed, more than 1,800 vendors offer PDF-based solutions, ensuring that organizations that adopt the PDF standard have a variety of tools to leverage the Portable Document Format and to customize document processes.

When a victim clicks on a hyperlink contained within a malicious PDF file, an attacker may be able to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the victim. This is possible because some UNIX and Linux PDF readers/viewers spawn external programs to handle hyperlinks by invoking the shell command interpreter.

II. Impact

A remote attacker may be able to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the victim.

III. Solution

Apply a patch when available.

Systems Affected

VendorStatusDate NotifiedDate Updated
3ComUnknown16-May-2003
Adobe Systems IncorporatedVulnerable18-Jun-2003
AlcatelUnknown16-May-2003
Apple Computer Inc.Not Vulnerable18-Jun-2003
AT&TUnknown16-May-2003
AvayaUnknown16-May-2003
BSDIUnknown16-May-2003
Cisco Systems Inc.Unknown16-May-2003
Computer AssociatesUnknown16-May-2003
ConectivaVulnerable22-Sep-2003
Cray Inc.Unknown16-May-2003
D-Link SystemsUnknown16-May-2003
Data GeneralUnknown16-May-2003
DebianVulnerable19-May-2003
EngardeUnknown16-May-2003
Extreme NetworksUnknown16-May-2003
F5 NetworksUnknown16-May-2003
Foundry Networks Inc.Unknown16-May-2003
FreeBSDUnknown16-May-2003
FujitsuNot Vulnerable8-Aug-2003
Hewlett-Packard CompanyUnknown21-May-2003
HitachiNot Vulnerable18-Jun-2003
IBMUnknown16-May-2003
IBM-zSeriesUnknown16-May-2003
IBM eServerUnknown24-Jun-2003
Ingrian NetworksNot Vulnerable23-May-2003
IntelUnknown16-May-2003
Juniper NetworksUnknown16-May-2003
LachmanUnknown16-May-2003
Lotus SoftwareUnknown16-May-2003
Lucent TechnologiesUnknown16-May-2003
MandrakeSoftVulnerable14-Jul-2003
Microsoft CorporationNot Vulnerable19-May-2003
MontaVista SoftwareUnknown16-May-2003
Multi-Tech Systems Inc.Unknown16-May-2003
NEC CorporationNot Vulnerable16-Jun-2003
NetBSDUnknown16-May-2003
NetscreenUnknown16-May-2003
Network ApplianceUnknown16-May-2003
NeXTUnknown16-May-2003
NokiaUnknown16-May-2003
Nortel NetworksNot Vulnerable14-Jul-2003
OpenBSDUnknown16-May-2003
Openwall GNU/*/LinuxUnknown16-May-2003
Red Hat Inc.Vulnerable19-Jun-2003
Redback Networks Inc.Unknown16-May-2003
Riverstone NetworksUnknown16-May-2003
SCOUnknown16-May-2003
SequentUnknown16-May-2003
SGIUnknown16-May-2003
Sony CorporationUnknown16-May-2003
Sun Microsystems Inc.Vulnerable17-Jun-2003
SuSE Inc.Unknown16-May-2003
UnisysUnknown16-May-2003
Wind River Systems Inc.Unknown16-May-2003
WirexUnknown16-May-2003
Xerox CorporationNot Vulnerable14-Jul-2003
XpdfVulnerable17-Jun-2003
zyXELUnknown16-May-2003

References


http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/adobepdf.html
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html
http://www.foolabs.com/xpdf/about.html
http://www.secunia.com/advisories/9037/
http://www.secunia.com/advisories/9038/

Credit

This vulnerability was discovered by Martyn Gilmore. The CERT/CC thanks Martyn, Adobe, and the folks responsible for the Xpdf project.

This document was written by Ian A Finlay.

Other Information

Date Public:2003-06-13
Date First Published:2003-06-18
Date Last Updated:2003-09-26
CERT Advisory: 
CVE-ID(s):CAN-2003-0434
NVD-ID(s):CAN-2003-0434
US-CERT Technical Alerts: 
Metric:37.97
Document Revision:26

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