CVE-2009-3459
Heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 7.x before 7.1.4, 8.x before 8.1.7, and 9.x before 9.2 allows remote attackers to…
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- adobe
Description
Heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 7.x before 7.1.4, 8.x before 8.1.7, and 9.x before 9.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted PDF file that triggers memory corruption, as exploited in the wild in October 2009. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
Exploited in the wild
CISA lists this vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog as Adobe Acrobat and Reader Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability.
- Added
- 20 May 2026
- Fix due (US federal)
- 3 Jun 2026
- Used by ransomware
- Not known
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA-ADPADP (enrichment) | 3.1 | High8.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 3.1 | High8.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 86.5% · top 0.3% of all CVEs (5 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: active · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 8.8.
Weakness
Affected products
n/a
- affected n/a
References (13)
- 36983 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAx_transferred
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:6534 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entrysignaturex_refsource_OVALx_transferred
- TA09-286B (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_CERTx_transferred
- 1023007 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKx_transferred
- http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb09-15.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- 20091009 Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Reader Remote Code Execution (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_ISSx_transferred
- ADV-2009-2851 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_VUPENx_transferred
- http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=7300 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- http://blogs.adobe.com/psirt/2009/10/adobe_reader_and_acrobat_issue_1.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- 36600 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDx_transferred
- ADV-2009-2898 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_VUPENx_transferred
- adobe-reader-pdf-code-execution(53691) (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_XFx_transferred
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2009-3459 (opens in a new tab)government-resource
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- CISA KEV catalog (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2009-3459)Record last updated .