How severe is CVE-2009-1493?

CVE-2009-1493 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2009-1493 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 22% (97th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2009-1493?

CVE-2009-1493 primarily affects Adobe Reader. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2009-1493?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2009-1493 published?

CVE-2009-1493 was published on 2009-04-30 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2009-1493

CVE-2009-1493 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Adobe Reader with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 22% places it in the 97th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-399.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 6.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 22% (97th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-399
Affected product: Adobe Reader
Published: 2009-04-30
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The customDictionaryOpen spell method in the JavaScript API in Adobe Reader 9.1, 8.1.4, 7.1.1, and earlier on Linux and UNIX allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or execute arbitrary code via a PDF file that triggers a call to this method with a long string in the second argument.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2009-1493?: The customDictionaryOpen spell method in the JavaScript API in Adobe Reader 9.1, 8.1.4, 7.1.1, and earlier on Linux and UNIX allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or execute arbitrary code via a PDF file that triggers a call to this method with a long string in the second argument.
How severe is CVE-2009-1493?: CVE-2009-1493 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2009-1493 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 22% (97th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2009-1493?: CVE-2009-1493 primarily affects Adobe Reader. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2009-1493?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2009-1493 published?: CVE-2009-1493 was published on 2009-04-30 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:adobe:reader:8.1.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:reader:9.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

Other CWE-399 (Resource Management Errors) vulnerabilities

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CVE-2015-0339 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
CVE-2015-0335 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
CVE-2015-0333 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
CVE-2014-4121 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 SP2, 3.5, 3.5.1, 4, 4.5, 4.5.1, and 4.5.2 does not properly parse internationalized…
CVE-2014-0560 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.12 and 11.x before 11.0.09 on Windows and OS…

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