VulnerabilityAnalyzed

CVE-2008-2992

Adobe Reader and Acrobat Input Validation Vulnerability

KEVEXPLOIT ×4 ✓HIGH 7.8EPSS 99.8%

Does this matter?

Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 24 March 2022). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.

Description

Stack-based buffer overflow in Adobe Acrobat and Reader 8.1.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a PDF file that calls the util.printf JavaScript function with a crafted format string argument, a related issue to CVE-2008-1104.

CVSS 3.1: 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS: 99.79% probability · 100th percentile
Public exploits: 4 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 5 November 2008
CISA KEV: Listed 3 March 2022 · due 24 March 2022 · used in ransomware campaigns
Weakness: CWE-787
Affected: adobe/acrobat · adobe/acrobat reader · oracle/solaris
Source: cve@mitre.org

EPSS trend

EPSS moved from 99.8% on 20 October 2026 to 99.8% on 30 October 2026. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”.

CISA notes

Apply updates per vendor instructions. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-2992

Public exploits (4)

Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.

EDB-ID	Title	Type	Published	Verified
EDB-16624 source ↗	Adobe - 'util.printf()' Local Buffer Overflow (Metasploit) (2)windows · Metasploit	local	25 September 2010	yes
EDB-16504 source ↗	Adobe - 'util.printf()' Local Buffer Overflow (Metasploit) (1)windows · Metasploit	local	3 May 2010	yes
EDB-7006 source ↗	Adobe Reader - 'util.printf()' JavaScript Function Stack Overflow (2)windows · Debasis Mohanty	local	5 November 2008	yes
EDB-6994 source ↗	Adobe Reader - 'util.printf()' JavaScript Function Stack Overflow (1)windows · Elazar	local	5 November 2008	yes

References

http://download.oracle.com/sunalerts/1019937.1.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2008-11/msg00002.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://osvdb.org/49520Broken Link
http://secunia.com/advisories/29773Broken Link, Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32700Broken Link, Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32872Broken Link, Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/35163Broken Link, Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/secunia_research/2008-14/Broken Link, Vendor Advisory
http://securityreason.com/securityalert/4549Broken Link, Exploit
http://support.nortel.com/go/main.jsp?cscat=BLTNDETAIL&id=800801Broken Link
http://support.nortel.com/go/main.jsp?cscat=BLTNDETAIL&id=909609Broken Link
http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb08-19.htmlBroken Link, Patch, Vendor Advisory
http://www.coresecurity.com/content/adobe-reader-buffer-overflowThird Party Advisory
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/593409Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0974.htmlBroken Link, Patch
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/498027/100/0/threadedBroken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/498032/100/0/threadedBroken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/498055/100/0/threadedBroken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/30035Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/32091Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1021140Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA08-309A.htmlBroken Link, Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/3001Broken Link, Vendor Advisory
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/0098Broken Link, Vendor Advisory
http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-08-072/Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/6994Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/7006Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://download.oracle.com/sunalerts/1019937.1.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2008-11/msg00002.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://osvdb.org/49520Broken Link

Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.