CVE-2023-22241 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE • 01/27/2023
Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 22.003.20282 (and earlier), 22.003.20281 (and earlier) and 20.005.30418 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds write 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/27/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical out-of-bounds write flaw in Adobe Acrobat Reader that enables remote code execution through crafted malicious files. The vulnerability affects multiple versions including 22.003.20282 and earlier, 22.003.20281 and earlier, and 20.005.30418 and earlier, indicating a widespread impact across the Acrobat Reader product line. The flaw occurs during the processing of specially crafted PDF files, where the application fails to properly validate array bounds when handling certain data structures within the document. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-787, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds writes, a category that frequently leads to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The exploitation requires user interaction, meaning an attacker must convince a victim to open a malicious file, making this a typical attack vector for social engineering campaigns. The vulnerability exists because the application does not adequately validate input data when parsing PDF objects, particularly when handling arrays or lists of data that are used to construct internal data structures. When the application attempts to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries, it can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially allowing an attacker to inject and execute malicious code with the privileges of the current user. This represents a significant risk in enterprise environments where users frequently open PDF documents from untrusted sources, making the attack surface particularly wide. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to potentially enable privilege escalation and persistent access to systems, as the malicious code would run with the same permissions as the user who opened the document. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1203, which covers exploitation for execution, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter. The vulnerability also aligns with T1566, representing the initial access phase of an attack chain where phishing or malicious file delivery is employed to gain a foothold in target systems. The technical nature of the flaw makes it particularly dangerous because memory corruption vulnerabilities often provide attackers with direct control over program execution flow, allowing them to redirect code execution to malicious payloads. The out-of-bounds write condition typically occurs when the application processes malformed PDF data structures such as arrays, strings, or object lists without proper boundary checks, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to overwrite critical program data or function pointers. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions, as the vulnerability's exploitation requires only user interaction without additional privileges. System administrators should implement email filtering and endpoint protection solutions to prevent users from opening potentially malicious PDF files, while also monitoring for unusual file access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges in securing document processing applications where complex file formats require extensive parsing logic that can introduce numerous potential attack vectors. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of Adobe Acrobat Reader to trusted environments and monitor for any unauthorized installations or updates of the software. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should include evaluation of document processing applications to identify similar memory corruption vulnerabilities that could provide similar attack paths for adversaries seeking to compromise systems through user interaction-based exploitation techniques.