Adobe Reader Bug Can Affect Linux Users

Adobe has ignored Linux users while fixing critical memory-related bugs in its Reader. Adobe resolved the issue for Windows and Mac OS X users leaving Linux users on their own in a situation where researchers say that “potential attackers could find enough clues to build an exploit by comparing the current Windows version of Reader with the previous one.” One of the major concerns is that Linux users running the patched versions of Adobe Reader contain 16 open security holes. 

The warning was issued by Internet search giant, Google, whose employees Mateusz Jurczyk and Gynvael Coldwind initially examined the PDF engine of the Chrome browser and discovered numerous holes. They then tested Adobe Reader and found about 60 issues that triggered crashes, 40 of which are potential attack vectors, according to the H Open report.

There is very little that Linux users can do other than deleting the annots.api and PPKLite.api plug-ins from the /path/to/Adobe/Reader9/Reader/intellinux/plug_ins directory. This will solve only two open security holes out of 16. According to the H Open report, “The Google employees have recommended that users not to open any PDF documents from external sources in Adobe Reader. Users can protect themselves by disabling the Reader's browser extension which allows the holes to be exploited with a simple visit to a specially crafted Web page." 

Source : efytimes.com