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Findings

CVE-2023-21608

Adobe Acrobat and Reader Use-After-Free Vulnerability

Published Jan 18, 2023 · corrected/updated Jun 16, 2026 · adobe acrobat dc · evidence confidence very high

Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 22.003.20282 (and earlier), 22.003.20281 (and earlier) and 20.005.30418 (and earlier) are affected by a Use After Free vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.

Grounded briefings

Catalog interpretations for three audiences. Each brief cites ingested metadata and the original advisories below. They are not independent research and they do not invent exploit steps.

Executive

CVE-2023-21608 is a high public vulnerability record for adobe acrobat dc. CISA lists it as known exploited. Published remediation guidance: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. This summary is a catalog interpretation of the ingested metadata and cites the original advisories below.

System administrator

Identify whether adobe acrobat dc is in your estate, then compare installed versions with the affected ranges. Affected packages or ranges on record: adobe/acrobat; adobe/acrobat dc; adobe/acrobat reader; adobe/acrobat reader dc. Published remediation guidance: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Prefer the vendor or distribution advisory linked in Sources before changing production systems. This is a catalog interpretation, not a runbook.

Security analyst

Signals on file: CVSS 7.8, EPSS 59.6%. CISA lists it as known exploited. Weakness classes: CWE-416. Sources contributing to this record: cisa_kev, cve_org, epss, nvd. Public exploit references, when present, are outbound links only and are not proof of active exploitation. This is a catalog interpretation of stored metadata.

Exploitation and remediation

  • Exploitation evidence

    Confirmed in CISA KEV since Oct 10, 2023. Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

  • Patch and remediation

    Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. CISA due date Oct 31, 2023.

  • Safe detection guidance

    Compare installed versions with the affected ranges below and verify the advisory from the original publisher. This site stores metadata and outbound links only; it does not ship exploit code or proof-of-concept payloads.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Jan 18, 2023 · Catalog

    Detected

    Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 22.003.20282 (and earlier), 22.003.20281 (and earlier) and 20.005.30418 (and earlier) are affected by a Use After Free vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.

  2. Oct 10, 2023 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

  3. Oct 31, 2023 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

  4. Jun 16, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 22.003.20282 (and earlier), 22.003.20281 (and earlier) and 20.005.30418 (and earlier) are affected by a Use After Free vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.

Affected

  • cpe adobe/acrobatversion unspecified
  • cpe adobe/acrobat dcversion unspecified
  • cpe adobe/acrobat readerversion unspecified
  • cpe adobe/acrobat reader dcversion unspecified
  • vendor Adobe Acrobat and Readerversion unspecified

Sources

  • CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2023-21608

    Adobe Acrobat and Reader contains a use-after-free vulnerability that allows for code execution in the context of the current user.

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2023-21608

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2023-21608

    30-day exploitation probability 59.6%

    first.org
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2023-21608

    Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 22.003.20282 (and earlier), 22.003.20281 (and earlier) and 20.005.30418 (and earlier) are affected by a Use After Free vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires

    nvd.nist.gov

References