# CVE-2009-0927: Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat Stack-Based Buffer Overflow

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via a crafted argument to the getIcon method in Adobe Reader and Acrobat.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 25 Mar 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Mar 2009
- **Updated:** 22 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wr9v-3qgm-q33g

## What is CVE-2009-0927?

CVE-2009-0927 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Reader, published on 19 Mar 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Stack-based buffer overflow in Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat 9 before 9.1, 8 before 8.1.3 , and 7 before 7.1.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted argument to the getIcon method of a Collab object, a different vulnerability than CVE-2009-0658.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation), CWE-121 (Stack-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-0927?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe Acrobat Reader.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-0927?

Upgrade to a fixed version. US federal agencies must fix it by 15 Apr 2022.

## Is CVE-2009-0927 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2009-0927 in the wild since at least 25 Mar 2022.

Public exploit code:

- Adobe Collab.getIcon() Buffer Overflow (metasploit)
- Adobe Collab.getIcon() Buffer Overflow (metasploit)
- Adobe Acrobat Reader 8.1.2 < 9.0 - 'getIcon()' Memory Corruption (exploitdb)
- Adobe Acrobat/Reader < 7.1.1/8.1.3/9.1 - Collab getIcon Universal (exploitdb)
- Adobe - 'Collab.getIcon()' Local Buffer Overflow (Metasploit) (1) (exploitdb)
- Adobe - 'Collab.getIcon()' Local Buffer Overflow (Metasploit) (2) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat Reader

- [CVE-2014-0511](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0511/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2014-0512](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0512/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-1152](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1152/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-1153](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1153/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0630](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0630/): Command injection in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-0927 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-0927 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Reader, published on 19 Mar 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2009-0927 in the wild since at least 25 Mar 2022.

Affected product: Adobe Acrobat Reader. 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-2009-0927/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0927/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-0927
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-0927
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-0927

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0927/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.