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CVE-2009-1493

39
FAUCET Score

CVE-2009-1493 describes a critical vulnerability in the customDictionaryOpen spell method within the JavaScript API of Adobe Reader versions 9.1, 8.1.4, 7.1.1, and earlier on Linux and UNIX systems. This flaw allows remote attackers to trigger memory corruption, leading to a denial of service or arbitrary code execution, by supplying a specially crafted PDF file with a long string in the method's second argument. The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 6.8, indicating a medium severity with network access, medium attack complexity, and potential for partial confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. While not listed on CISA's KEV catalog or currently active on hot lists, exploit code (EDB-8570) is publicly available, though there is no evidence of active exploitation, Metasploit modules, or significant community discussion or media coverage.

Impacted Technologies

VendorProductVersion(s)CPE
8.1.4CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:reader:8.1.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
9.1CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:reader:9.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

CVSS Data

CVSS version used by this source: 2.0

6.8MEDIUM

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Confidentiality Impact
PARTIAL
Integrity Impact
PARTIAL
Availability Impact
PARTIAL
Access Vector
NETWORK
Access Complexity
MEDIUM
Authentication
NONE
Exploitability Score
8.6
Impact Score
6.4
CvssVersion
2.0

Exploit Intelligence

EPSS Score
21.83%
Probability of exploitation in next 30 days
EPSS Percentile
97.4%
Percentile rank of EPSS score among Peer Group
As of 2026-07-27
Model: v2026.06.15
ExploitDB: EDB-8570 · Apr 29, 2009
This CVE's current EPSS score of 0.2183 is in the 98th percentile among its peer group of 19,958 CVEs.

Social Chatter

The average CVE in this peer group has 0.0 Twitter, 0.0 Reddit, 0.0 Bluesky, 0.0 Mastodon, and 0.2 GitHub mentions.

Media Mentions

No media coverage found for this CVE.

The average CVE in this peer group has 0.0 InfoSec Media, 0.0 Vendor Blog, and 0.0 Security Researcher mentions.

Remediation

Patch Available

Vendor Patches (3)

redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Extras for RHEL 3Fixed in: acroread-0:8.1.5-2
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Extras for RHEL 4Fixed in: acroread-0:8.1.5-1.el4
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Supplementary for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5Fixed in: acroread-0:8.1.5-1.el5
View patch

Vendor Advisories (1)

redhatCVE-2009-1493Critical

acroread: multiple vulnerabilities in Adobe Reader 8.1.4

Apr 27, 2009

References

blogs.adobe.com / psirt/2009/04/update_on_adobe_reader_issue.html
Vendor Advisory
blogs.adobe.com / psirt/2009/05/adobe_reader_issue_update.html
Third Party Advisory
lists.opensuse.org / opensuse-security-announce/2009-05/msg00001.html
Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
lists.opensuse.org / opensuse-security-announce/2009-06/msg00003.html
Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
osvdb.org / 54129
Broken Link
packetstorm.linuxsecurity.com / 0904-exploits/spell.txt
Exploit
secunia.com / advisories/34924
Broken Link
secunia.com / advisories/35055
Broken Link
secunia.com / advisories/35096
Broken Link
secunia.com / advisories/35152
Broken Link
secunia.com / advisories/35358
Broken Link
secunia.com / advisories/35416
Broken Link
secunia.com / advisories/35734
Broken Link
security.gentoo.org / glsa/glsa-200907-06.xml
Third Party Advisory
exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com / vulnerabilities/50146
Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
sunsolve.sun.com / search/document.do
Broken Link
support.nortel.com / go/main.jsp
Third Party Advisory
exploit-db.com / exploits/8570
Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
adobe.com / support/security/bulletins/apsb09-06.html
Third Party Advisory
kb.cert.org / vuls/id/970180
Third Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource
redhat.com / support/errata/RHSA-2009-0478.html
Third Party Advisory
securityfocus.com / bid/34740
ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
securitytracker.com / id
Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
us-cert.gov / cas/techalerts/TA09-133B.html
Third Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource
vupen.com / english/advisories/2009/1189
Broken Link
vupen.com / english/advisories/2009/1317
Broken Link