# CVE-2009-3953: Adobe Acrobat and Reader Universal 3D Remote Code Execution

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via malformed U3D data in PDF documents due to an array boundary issue 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 8 Jun 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:** 13 Jan 2010
- **Updated:** 22 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q4f6-24ph-r6rm

## What is CVE-2009-3953?

CVE-2009-3953 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat, published on 13 Jan 2010. 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

The U3D implementation in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.3, 8.x before 8.2 on Windows and Mac OS X, and 7.x before 7.1.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via malformed U3D data in a PDF document, related to a CLODProgressiveMeshDeclaration "array boundary issue," a different vulnerability than CVE-2009-2994.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-3953?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Adobe Acrobat, Opensuse Opensuse, Suse Linux Enterprise, Suse Linux Enterprise Debuginfo.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-3953?

Upgrade to a fixed version. US federal agencies must fix it by 22 Jun 2022.

## Is CVE-2009-3953 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2009-3953 in the wild since at least 8 Jun 2022.

Public exploit code:

- Adobe U3D CLODProgressiveMeshDeclaration Array Overrun (metasploit)
- Adobe - U3D CLODProgressiveMeshDeclaration Array Overrun (Metasploit) (2) (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-2009-3953 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-3953 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat, published on 13 Jan 2010. 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-2009-3953 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-2009-3953/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3953/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-3953
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-3953
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-3953

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3953/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.