Adobe Systems has released a security update to fix
acritical vulnerabilityin Adobe Reader
9 and Acrobat 9 that could allow a hacker to take control of a
computer.
Adobe has been criticised for taking so long to recognise the
vulnerability and release the update. Exploits have been reportedly
been around for nearly two months.
The company has also been criticised for releasing the updates
on the same day as Microsoft's Patch Tuesday monthly security
updates.
Microsoft released one critical Windows patch for a
vulnerability that could allow remote code execution and two for
spoofing vulnerabilities in its
March security bulletin.
Adobe alerted users about the vulnerability just over two weeks
ago and said a security update would be released by 11 March.
The vulnerability allows hackers to overwrite memory with a
buffer overflow and install a backdoor to enable them to control
the system remotely.
Adobe said it plans to release security updates for Adobe Reader
7 and 8 and Acrobat 7 and 8 by 18 March and for Adobe Reader 9.1
for Unix by 25 March.