CVE-2025-45528 in PDF Pro
Summary
by MITRE • 10/23/2026
An issue in Nitro Software, Inc Nitro PDF Pro for macOS v.14.7 allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code via a crafted PDF
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2026
The vulnerability identified in Nitro PDF Pro for macOS version 14.7 represents a critical security flaw that enables privilege escalation through the exploitation of document parsing mechanisms. This specific issue falls under the category of improper input validation, where the application fails to adequately sanitize or verify data structures within an incoming Portable Document Format file before processing them. By crafting a malicious PDF with specially constructed objects and streams, an attacker can trigger memory corruption errors such as buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions during the rendering or parsing phase. This technical flaw allows for arbitrary code execution on the host system, effectively bypassing standard sandbox restrictions that typically limit the damage caused by untrusted document processing applications.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code (Code Injection) and potentially CWE-120 Buffer Overflow without null termination if memory management errors are involved in the exploitation chain. The attack vector is classified as local because it requires physical or logical access to the target machine to deliver the crafted PDF file, although social engineering techniques can be used to trick a user into opening the malicious document remotely via email or network shares. In terms of adversary tactics, this exploit maps directly to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, where attackers leverage vulnerabilities in client software to execute code on the victim's system without requiring direct administrative privileges initially.
The operational impact of successfully exploiting this vulnerability is severe, as it grants an attacker full control over the affected application and potentially the underlying operating system depending on the user context under which Nitro PDF Pro was executed. If a standard user account is compromised, the attacker can install malware, exfiltrate sensitive data stored locally, or use the machine as a pivot point for further network attacks. In enterprise environments where document handling is frequent, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to confidentiality and integrity of information assets. The ability to execute arbitrary code means that persistent backdoors, keyloggers, or ransomware can be deployed with minimal friction once the initial payload delivery succeeds through user interaction.
Mitigation strategies must focus on both immediate remediation and long-term defensive posture improvements. Organizations should immediately apply vendor-provided patches to update Nitro PDF Pro to a version where this parsing logic has been hardened against malformed inputs. In addition to patching, implementing application control policies such as Microsoft AppLocker or macOS Gatekeeper can restrict the execution of untrusted binaries derived from downloaded documents. Network segmentation and endpoint detection and response solutions should be configured to monitor for anomalous process creation events following PDF file openings, particularly spawning shells or scripting engines like PowerShell or Python which are common post-exploitation tools. User awareness training is also critical to reduce the likelihood of users opening unsolicited attachments that may contain these crafted malicious documents designed to exploit parsing vulnerabilities in office productivity suites.