# CVE-2007-5659: Adobe Acrobat and Reader Buffer Overflow

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via a malicious PDF file exploiting buffer overflows in Adobe Reader and Acrobat.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 8 Jun 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Feb 2008
- **Updated:** 22 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xjr9-phw2-2wjx

## What is CVE-2007-5659?

CVE-2007-5659 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat, published on 12 Feb 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Multiple buffer overflows in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 8.1.1 and earlier allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a PDF file with long arguments to unspecified JavaScript methods.  NOTE: this issue might be subsumed by CVE-2008-0655.

Weakness: CWE-120 (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2007-5659?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Acrobat Reader.

## How do I fix CVE-2007-5659?

Apply the vendor's patch. US federal agencies must fix it by 22 Jun 2022.

## Is CVE-2007-5659 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2007-5659 in the wild since at least 8 Jun 2022.

Public exploit code:

- Adobe Acrobat and Reader 8.1.1 - Multiple Arbitrary Code Execution / Security Vulnerabilities (exploitdb)
- Adobe Collab.collectEmailInfo() Buffer Overflow (metasploit)
- Adobe - 'Collab.collectEmailInfo()' Local Buffer Overflow (Metasploit) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat

- [CVE-2021-28550](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28550/): Adobe Acrobat and Reader Use-After-Free (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-21017](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21017/): Adobe Acrobat and Reader Heap-based Buffer Overflow (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-0546](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0546/): Adobe Reader and Acrobat Sandbox Bypass (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-0496](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0496/): Adobe Reader and Acrobat Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-3346](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-3346/): Adobe Reader and Acrobat Memory Corruption (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2007-5659 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2007-5659 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat, published on 12 Feb 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2007-5659 in the wild since at least 8 Jun 2022.

Affected product: Adobe Acrobat. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-5659/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-5659/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2007-5659
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2007-5659
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2007-5659

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-5659/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.