critical
9.3
CWE
20 119
Advisory Published
Updated

CVE-2008-2042: Input Validation

First published: Thu May 08 2008(Updated: )

The Javascript API in Adobe Acrobat Professional 7.0.9 and possibly 8.1.1 exposes a dangerous method, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands or trigger a buffer overflow via a crafted PDF file that invokes app.checkForUpdate with a malicious callback function.

Credit: cve@mitre.org

Affected SoftwareAffected VersionHow to fix
Adobe Acrobat Reader=8.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader=3.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader=5.0.10
Adobe Acrobat Reader=4.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader=6.0.5
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.0.2
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.1.2
Adobe Acrobat Reader=3.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.0.3
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.1.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.0.8
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.1.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader<=8.1.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader=8.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.0.6
Adobe Acrobat Reader=4.0.5c
Adobe Acrobat Reader=4.0.5a
Adobe Acrobat Reader=5.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader=6.0.4
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.0.7
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.1.3
Adobe Acrobat Reader=5.0.5
Adobe Acrobat Reader=6.0.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader=6.0.3
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.0.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader=4.0.5
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.0.5
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.0.4
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.0.9
Adobe Acrobat Reader=6.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader=5.0.6
Adobe Acrobat Reader=6.0.2
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader=6.0.6
Adobe Acrobat Reader=7.1.4
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.0.9
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=5.0.10
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=4.5
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=6.0.6
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=5.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.1.2
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=5.0.9
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.1.3
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.0.5
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.0.6
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=3.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.1.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=4.0.5
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=4.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=3.01
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.0.8
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=4.0.5a
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=6.0.3
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager<=8.1.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=5.0.5
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=8.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.0.7
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=5.0.11
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.0.3
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=5.0.7
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.0.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.0.2
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=6.0.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=8.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=6.0.5
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.1.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=5.0.6
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=3.02
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.1.4
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=5.1
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=6.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=6.0.2
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=6.0.4
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=4.0.5c
Adobe Acrobat Reader Notification Manager=7.0.4

Never miss a vulnerability like this again

Sign up to SecAlerts for real-time vulnerability data matched to your software, aggregated from hundreds of sources.

Read MoreStart Free Trial

Reference Links

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the severity of CVE-2008-2042?

    CVE-2008-2042 is considered a critical vulnerability due to its potential to allow remote code execution and buffer overflows.

  • How do I fix CVE-2008-2042?

    To fix CVE-2008-2042, update Adobe Acrobat Professional to version 9.0 or later, which contains the necessary security patches.

  • What versions of Adobe Acrobat are affected by CVE-2008-2042?

    CVE-2008-2042 affects Adobe Acrobat versions 7.0.9, 8.1.1, and earlier versions, including specific release candidates.

  • What types of attacks can exploit CVE-2008-2042?

    Attackers can exploit CVE-2008-2042 by crafting malicious PDF files that invoke the app.checkForUpdate method with harmful callback functions.

  • Is there a workaround for CVE-2008-2042 if I cannot update?

    A temporary workaround for CVE-2008-2042 is to disable JavaScript in the Adobe Acrobat settings, which can help mitigate the risk.

Company

Resources

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2025 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203