Acrobat
CVE-2009-4324
HIGH
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2021 - Vulnerable and Outdated Components
ASVS 5.0
V14 - Configuration Dependency management, component inventory
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Privilege Escalation The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Impact | Critical risk at time of disclosure. This was a zero-day actively exploited in December 2009 with widespread campaign targeting. The use of ZLib compression helped evade antivirus and IDS signatures. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | Attackers embedded exploit code in ZLib-compressed streams within PDF files distributed via spear-phishing. Opening the PDF triggered the use-after-free, executing shellcode that downloaded and installed backdoor malware. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Mar 26, 2026
Adobe Reader and Acrobat contain a use-after-free vulnerability in the Doc.media.newPlayer JavaScript method that was actively exploited as a zero-day in December 2009 via crafted PDF files with ZLib compressed streams.
Earlier versions of this analysis (1)
A use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Reader/Acrobat's Multimedia.api JavaScript interface, specifically the Doc.media.newPlayer method, enables remote code execution through malicious PDFs, actively exploited in the wild.
RemediationAI
Update to Adobe Reader/Acrobat 9.3+ or 8.2+. Modern mitigation: deploy PDF readers with exploit mitigations (sandbox, DEP, ASLR) or use browser-based PDF rendering.
Affects your stack
Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
The CWE-416 flaw occurs when JavaScript code triggers the Doc.media.newPlayer method, causing a media player object to be freed while still referenced. Subsequent access to the freed object allows attackers to control execution flow. Exploits used ZLib compressed streams to bypass detection.
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- Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorNVD
Lifecycle Timeline
3DescriptionCVE.org
Use-after-free vulnerability in the Doc.media.newPlayer method in Multimedia.api in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.3, and 8.x before 8.2 on Windows and Mac OS X, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted PDF file using ZLib compressed streams, as exploited in the wild in December 2009.
Executive ViewAI
CVE-2009-4324 presents notable security risk, a use-after-free vulnerability rated CVSS 7.8. Exploitation could compromise the security of affected deployments. This vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild (KEV-listed) and requires immediate remediation. Immediate patching is required per CISA KEV mandate.
Apply vendor patch. If immediate patching is not feasible: (1) Enable ASLR and DEP where available; (2) Implement network segmentation; (3) Monitor for exploitation indicators.
Threat Intelligence Overview
NVD
CVE.org
CISA KEV
EPSS
Exploit-DB
VulDB
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to access memory through a pointer after that memory has been deallocated.
Memory corruption occurs when a program writes data beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions or accesses memory in unintended ways, violating the integrity of the process's address space.
Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.
Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org
Adobe Flash Player contains a type confusion vulnerability in object handling that allows remote attackers to execute ar
Adobe Flash Player 10.2 and earlier across all platforms contain an unspecified vulnerability allowing remote code execu
Integer overflow in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.5.5, 10.x before 10.1.7, and 11.x before 11.0.03 allows attack
Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.5.4, 10.x before 10.1.6, and 11.x before 11.0.02 allow remote attackers to execute
Buffer overflow in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.5.4, 10.x before 10.1.6, and 11.x before 11.0.02 allows remote
Buffer overflow in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.5.5, 10.x before 10.1.7, and 11.x before 11.0.03 allows attacke
Prototype pollution in Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 24.001.30356, 26.001.21367 and earlier enables arbitrary code execu
Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.14 and 11.x before 11.0.11 on Windows and OS X allow attackers to bypass inten
Multiple heap-based buffer overflows in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.14 and 11.x before 11.0.11 on Windows
Buffer overflow in Adobe Reader and Acrobat before 10.1.8 and 11.x before 11.0.04 on Windows and Mac OS X allows attacke
Buffer overflow in Adobe Reader and Acrobat before 10.1.8 and 11.x before 11.0.04 on Windows and Mac OS X allows attacke
Adobe Reader and Acrobat before 11.0.17, Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC Classic before 15.006.30198, and Acrobat and Acro
GitHub PoC