CVE-2012-4896
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedHeap-based buffer overflow in SumatraPDF before 2.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted PDF document, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-4895.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceHeap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in SumatraPDF versions prior to 2.1 during PDF document parsing. The overflow occurs on the heap memory region, allowing an attacker to overwrite memory and execute arbitrary code by convincing a user to open a specially crafted PDF file.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 2.0.1= 0.1= 0.2= 0.3= 0.4= 0.5= 0.6= 0.7= 0.8= 0.8.1= 0.9= 0.9.1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- M
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Verify SumatraPDF is installedCheck for SumatraPDF installation by searching for the executable: locate sumatrapdf.exe on Windows systems, or check Programs and Features. On Linux, check package manager listings.Affected if SumatraPDF is present on the system
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Determine installed SumatraPDF versionRight-click sumatrapdf.exe, select Properties, and view the Version tab. Alternatively, launch SumatraPDF and go to Help > About to see the exact version number.Affected if Version displays as 2.0.1 or lower, or matches any of these: 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.8.1, 0.9, or 0.9.1
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Confirm version is below fixed releaseCompare your installed version against the fixed version 2.1. Any version number less than 2.1 is affected by this vulnerability.Affected if Installed version is less than 2.1 (for example, 2.0.1, 1.9, or any 0.x release)
If SumatraPDF is installed and the version is 2.0.1 or lower (including all 0.x versions), the environment is vulnerable to heap-based buffer overflow during PDF parsing.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade SumatraPDF to version 2.1 or later. Until upgraded, avoid opening PDF documents from untrusted sources.
SumatraPDF 2.1 or later
- Download SumatraPDF version 2.1 or later from the official repository or website
- Install the new version by running the downloaded installer
- Verify the installed version by checking Help > About SumatraPDF to confirm version 2.1 or higher is installed
- Replace any existing vulnerable PDF files or ensure all previously downloaded PDF documents are re-opened with the updated version
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,376.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2012-4896 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2012-4896 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data