Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HSummary
CVE-2013-0640 is a high-severity Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787) vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked in the top 0.3% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
Adobe Reader and Acrobat versions 9.x before 9.5.4, 10.x before 10.1.6, and 11.x before 11.0.02 contain a memory corruption vulnerability tracked as CVE-2013-0640 and CWE-787. The flaw is triggered by a crafted PDF document and can result in arbitrary code execution or a denial of service condition. The issue received a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 with an attack vector rated as local.
Remote attackers can deliver the malicious PDF to a target system and achieve code execution or a crash when the document is opened. Exploitation requires user interaction to open the file, after which the attacker gains the ability to run arbitrary code in the context of the affected application.
Adobe security advisories and corresponding distribution announcements direct users to apply the fixed versions 9.5.4, 10.1.6, or 11.0.02. OpenSUSE and other vendors released updated packages that incorporate these patches.
The vulnerability was exploited in the wild in February 2013, with public reporting confirming active attacks against Adobe Reader and Acrobat users at that time.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2013-0651
Vulnerability Data
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 arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted PDF document, as exploited in the wild in…
more
February 2013.
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 03 March 2022
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Out-of-bounds writes that corrupt control flow or inject shellcode are rendered non-executable by the same memory protections.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure-development practices (static analysis, bounds checking, code review) are the primary means of preventing out-of-bounds writes.
Vulnerability scanning and recording can discover out-of-bounds write flaws so they can be remediated.
Patching or replacing vulnerable software directly eliminates known instances of this coding weakness.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Security testing in development and acceptance can detect and prevent out-of-bounds write defects.
Secure development life cycle mandates practices that prevent out-of-bounds writes.
Application security requirements can specify bounds-checking and safe memory handling.
Secure architecture and engineering principles reduce the likelihood of buffer overflows.
Secure coding directly addresses out-of-bounds writes through language choice and coding standards.
Change management can enforce review gates that catch unsafe memory operations before deployment.