CVE-2025-43576 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE • 06/10/2025
Acrobat Reader versions 24.001.30235, 20.005.30763, 25.001.20521 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-43576 represents a critical use after free flaw within Adobe Acrobat Reader software, affecting multiple version branches including 24.001.30235, 20.005.30763, and 25.001.20521 along with earlier releases. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed, creating a scenario where an attacker can manipulate the freed memory location to execute arbitrary code. The flaw specifically impacts the document processing functionality of Acrobat Reader, which is widely used for viewing pdf documents across various operating systems including windows, macos, and linux platforms.
The technical exploitation of this use after free vulnerability requires a specific user interaction pattern where the victim must open a maliciously crafted pdf file. This attack vector aligns with the common exploitation techniques described in the attack tree framework, where user interaction serves as the primary attack surface. When the vulnerable application processes the malicious document, the improper memory management leads to a situation where freed memory can be reallocated and manipulated by an attacker. The vulnerability falls under CWE-416 which specifically addresses use after free conditions, a well-documented category of memory safety issues that have historically led to significant security breaches in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it allows attackers to potentially escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to systems. Since the exploit requires user interaction, it typically follows social engineering tactics where users are tricked into opening malicious documents through email attachments, web downloads, or malicious websites. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently handle various pdf documents from external sources. The context of current user execution means that successful exploitation would not require elevated privileges but would still allow for significant damage including data exfiltration, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within networks.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patch management and deployment of the latest Adobe Acrobat Reader updates to address this vulnerability. The recommended mitigations include implementing strict document handling policies, enabling sandboxing features where available, and conducting user awareness training to recognize potentially malicious pdf files. Security teams should also monitor network traffic for suspicious pdf file downloads and consider implementing application whitelisting controls to prevent execution of untrusted pdf documents. The vulnerability's classification under the attack framework indicates that it represents a medium to high severity threat that requires immediate attention and remediation efforts to prevent potential exploitation in real-world scenarios.