CVE-2012-4914
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 · uneditedStack-based buffer overflow in the reader in CoolPDF 3.0.2.256 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a PDF document with a crafted stream.
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 confidenceA stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the PDF reader component of CoolPDF version 3.0.2.256. The vulnerability is triggered when parsing a specially crafted PDF document containing a malformed stream, allowing an attacker to overwrite stack memory and execute arbitrary code.
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= 3.0.2.256CVSS 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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Check if CoolPDF is installedLook for CoolPDF in the list of installed programs via Control Panel > Programs and Features, or search for 'CoolPDF' or 'coolpdf' in Program Files directories (C:\Program Files\CoolPDF or C:\Program Files (x86)\CoolPDF)Affected if CoolPDF version 3.0.2.256 appears in installed programs or its installation directory exists
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Verify the exact CoolPDF versionRight-click the CoolPDF executable (typically named CoolPDF.exe or similar), select Properties, and check the File Version on the Details tab. Alternatively, run 'wmic product get name,version' or check the Windows Registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall for CoolPDF entriesAffected if The file version or product version reports exactly 3.0.2.256
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Confirm the PDF reader component is presentCheck for the PDF-related DLL or executable component within the CoolPDF installation folder (commonly in Program Files\CoolPDF), looking for files like pdfrenderer.dll, pdfview.dll, or the main CoolPDF.exe that handles PDF renderingAffected if The PDF reader component exists and the software can open or process PDF files
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Check if CoolPDF has been used to open any PDFsReview recent documents or examine the application's recent file history, or check browser/plugin contexts if CoolPDF is installed as a browser plugin (look in browser extension settings for CoolPDF PDF Viewer plugin)Affected if The software has been used or registered as a handler for PDF files, indicating the vulnerable component is active
A user is affected if CoolPDF version 3.0.2.256 is installed and the PDF reader component is present and functional on their system.
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.
From vendor dataDiscontinue use of CoolPDF 3.0.2.256 and migrate to a currently supported PDF reader that receives regular security updates. There is no official patch available for this legacy software.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2012-4914 — 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-2012-4914 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