📄 Description (English)
SumatraPDF is a multi-format reader for Windows. In 3.5.2 and earlier, there is a Untrusted Search Path vulnerability when Advanced Options setting is trigger. The application executes notepad.exe without specifying an absolute path when using the Advanced Options setting. On Windows, this allows execution of a malicious notepad.exe placed in the application's installation directory, leading to arbitrary code execution.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
SumatraPDF versions 3.5.2 and earlier contain an untrusted search path vulnerability in the Advanced Options feature that allows arbitrary code execution. When Advanced Options is triggered, the application executes notepad.exe without specifying an absolute path, enabling attackers to place a malicious notepad.exe in the installation directory for code execution. With CVSS 8.6 and publicly available exploits, this poses an immediate threat to organizations using SumatraPDF for document processing.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 24, 2026 00:39
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi government agencies, financial institutions, and enterprises using SumatraPDF for document processing face significant risk. High-impact sectors include: Banking/SAMA (document review and compliance), Government/NCA (administrative document handling), Healthcare (medical record processing), Energy sector (technical documentation), and Telecom/STC (operational documents). The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in shared environments where users may download PDFs from untrusted sources. Attackers could establish persistence, steal sensitive data, or deploy ransomware targeting critical infrastructure.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking and Financial Services
Government and Public Administration
Healthcare and Medical Services
Energy and Utilities
Telecommunications
Education
Legal Services
Insurance
Manufacturing
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
T1547 - Boot or Logon Autostart Execution
T1574 - Hijack Execution Flow
T1574.008 - Hijack Execution Flow: DLL Search Order Hijacking
T1036 - Masquerading
T1204 - User Execution
T1204.002 - User Execution: Malicious File
T1566 - Phishing
T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment
T1053 - Scheduled Task/Job
T1053.005 - Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task
T1559 - Inter-Process Communication
T1559.001 - Inter-Process Communication: Component Object Model
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
8.2
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all systems running SumatraPDF 3.5.2 or earlier using asset inventory tools
2. Restrict execution of SumatraPDF in Advanced Options mode until patching is complete
3. Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized notepad.exe execution
PATCHING:
1. Upgrade SumatraPDF to version 3.5.3 or later immediately
2. Verify patch installation by checking application version in Help > About
3. Test patched version in non-production environment before enterprise deployment
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if immediate patching not possible):
1. Disable Advanced Options feature through group policy or application configuration
2. Restrict write permissions to SumatraPDF installation directory
3. Implement file integrity monitoring on installation directory
4. Use application whitelisting (AppLocker/Windows Defender Application Control) to block unauthorized notepad.exe execution
5. Monitor process creation events for notepad.exe spawned from SumatraPDF directory
DETECTION RULES:
1. Monitor for notepad.exe execution from SumatraPDF installation directory (typically C:\Program Files\SumatraPDF)
2. Alert on file creation of notepad.exe in application directories
3. Track Advanced Options feature usage in application logs
4. Monitor for unsigned or suspicious notepad.exe files in non-standard locations
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تحديد جميع الأنظمة التي تقوم بتشغيل SumatraPDF 3.5.2 أو أقدم باستخدام أدوات جرد الأصول
2. تقييد تنفيذ SumatraPDF في وضع الخيارات المتقدمة حتى اكتمال التصحيح
3. تطبيق القائمة البيضاء للتطبيقات لمنع تنفيذ notepad.exe غير المصرح به
التصحيح:
1. ترقية SumatraPDF إلى الإصدار 3.5.3 أو أحدث فورًا
2. التحقق من تثبيت التصحيح بفحص إصدار التطبيق في Help > About
3. اختبار الإصدار المصحح في بيئة غير الإنتاج قبل نشر المؤسسة
الضوابط البديلة (إذا لم يكن التصحيح الفوري ممكنًا):
1. تعطيل ميزة الخيارات المتقدمة من خلال سياسة المجموعة أو تكوين التطبيق
2. تقييد أذونات الكتابة في دليل تثبيت SumatraPDF
3. تطبيق مراقبة سلامة الملفات على دليل التثبيت
4. استخدام القائمة البيضاء للتطبيقات (AppLocker/Windows Defender Application Control) لحظر تنفيذ notepad.exe غير المصرح به
5. مراقبة أحداث إنشاء العمليات لـ notepad.exe التي تم إطلاقها من دليل SumatraPDF
قواعد الكشف:
1. مراقبة تنفيذ notepad.exe من دليل تثبيت SumatraPDF (عادةً C:\Program Files\SumatraPDF)
2. تنبيه عند إنشاء ملف notepad.exe في أدلة التطبيقات
3. تتبع استخدام ميزة الخيارات المتقدمة في سجلات التطبيق
4. مراقبة ملفات notepad.exe غير الموقعة أو المريبة في المواقع غير القياسية
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
A.5.1.1 - Information security policies and procedures
A.5.2.1 - User access management
A.5.2.3 - Management of privileged access rights
A.5.3.1 - Password management
A.6.1.1 - Cryptography controls
A.6.2.1 - Physical and environmental security
A.7.1.1 - Event logging
A.7.1.2 - Protection of log information
A.8.1.1 - Malware protection
A.8.1.3 - Management of removable media
A.8.2.1 - User endpoint protection
🔵 SAMA CSF
Governance - Policy and Risk Management
Governance - Compliance and Audit
Protection - Access Control
Protection - Data Protection
Detection - Monitoring and Logging
Response - Incident Management
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
5.1 - Policies for information security
5.2 - Information security roles and responsibilities
5.3 - Segregation of duties
6.1 - Screening
6.2 - Terms and conditions of employment
6.5 - Access control
7.1 - Physical and environmental security
8.1 - User endpoint devices
8.2 - Privileged access rights
8.3 - Information access restriction
8.4 - Access to cryptographic keys
8.5 - Cryptography
8.6 - Development of applications and systems
8.7 - Separation of development, test and production environments
8.8 - Change management
8.9 - Removal of information assets
8.10 - Masking of personally identifiable information
8.11 - Data leakage prevention
8.12 - Monitoring
8.13 - Logging
8.14 - Monitoring of information systems activity
8.15 - Protection of information systems audit tools
8.16 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
8.17 - Handling of information security incidents
8.18 - Business continuity management
8.19 - ICT readiness for business continuity
8.20 - Information security aspects of supplier relationships
8.21 - Management of information security incidents
8.22 - Information security incident response and improvement
8.23 - Information security aspects of business continuity management
8.24 - Cryptography
8.25 - Secure development policy
8.26 - Application security requirements
8.27 - Secure system architecture and engineering principles
8.28 - Secure coding
8.29 - Security testing in development and acceptance
8.30 - Outsourced development
8.31 - Separation of development, test and production environments
8.32 - Change management
8.33 - Test information
8.34 - Protection of information systems from malware
8.35 - Installation of software on operational systems
8.36 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
8.37 - Restrictions on software installation
8.38 - Information backup
8.39 - Redundancy of information and communication facilities
8.40 - Redundancy of facilities
8.41 - Equipment maintenance
8.42 - Removal of assets
8.43 - Disposal of media
8.44 - Physical entry
8.45 - Access to facilities and assets
8.46 - Securing offices, rooms and facilities
8.47 - Physical security perimeter
8.48 - Physical entry
8.49 - Working in secure areas
8.50 - Delivery and loading areas
8.51 - Utilities
8.52 - Cabling security
8.53 - Equipment siting and protection
8.54 - Power supplies
8.55 - Cabling security
8.56 - Equipment maintenance
8.57 - Removal of assets
8.58 - Disposal of media
8.59 - Clear desk and clear screen
8.60 - Removal of information assets
8.61 - Disposal of media
8.62 - Transfer of media
8.63 - Accountability
8.64 - Responsibility for assets
8.65 - Return of assets
8.66 - Inventory of assets
8.67 - Return of assets
8.68 - Inventory of assets
8.69 - Classification of information
8.70 - Labelling of information
8.71 - Handling of assets
8.72 - Storage of assets
8.73 - Disposal of assets
8.74 - Transfer of media
8.75 - Access control
8.76 - User registration and de-registration
8.77 - User access provisioning
8.78 - Access rights review
8.79 - Revocation of access rights
8.80 - User responsibilities
8.81 - Password management
8.82 - Use of privileged access rights
8.83 - Limitation and use of connection rights
8.84 - Segregation of networks
8.85 - Routing controls
8.86 - Cryptographic controls
8.87 - Cryptographic key management
8.88 - Use of cryptography
8.89 - Secure development policy
8.90 - Application security requirements
8.91 - Secure system architecture and engineering principles
8.92 - Secure coding
8.93 - Security testing in development and acceptance
8.94 - Outsourced development
8.95 - Separation of development, test and production environments
8.96 - Change management
8.97 - Test information
8.98 - Protection of information systems from malware
8.99 - Installation of software on operational systems
8.100 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
sumatrapdfreader:sumatrapdf