CVE-2019-8250
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a type confusion vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat and Reader that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. Users who open malicious PDF files with vulnerable versions are at risk. The vulnerability affects multiple versions across different release tracks.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe Acrobat DC
- Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
- Adobe Acrobat 2017
- Adobe Acrobat Reader 2017
- Adobe Acrobat 2015
- Adobe Acrobat Reader 2015
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise with attacker gaining complete control over the victim's computer, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or lateral movement within networks.
Likely Case
Malicious PDF files delivered via phishing emails or compromised websites lead to malware installation, credential theft, or system disruption.
If Mitigated
With proper security controls, exploitation attempts are blocked by security software, sandboxing, or user awareness preventing malicious PDF opening.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to open a malicious PDF file. No authentication is required for the vulnerability itself.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2019.012.20036, 2017.011.30144, 2015.006.30499 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb19-41.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Adobe Acrobat or Reader. 2. Go to Help > Check for Updates. 3. Follow prompts to install available updates. 4. Restart the application when prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JavaScript in Adobe Reader
allPrevents JavaScript-based exploitation vectors that might be used in conjunction with this vulnerability
Edit > Preferences > JavaScript > Uncheck 'Enable Acrobat JavaScript'
Use Protected View
allOpen PDFs in Protected View mode to limit potential damage from malicious files
File > Properties > Security > Enable Protected View for all files from potentially unsafe locations
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Use alternative PDF viewers that are not vulnerable to this specific issue
- Implement application whitelisting to block execution of malicious code
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Adobe Acrobat/Reader version via Help > About Adobe Acrobat/Reader and compare against affected versionsCheck Version:
On Windows: wmic product where "name like 'Adobe Acrobat%' or name like 'Adobe Reader%'" get versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 2019.012.20036+, 2017.011.30144+, or 2015.006.30499+📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Adobe application crashes with memory access violations
- Unexpected child processes spawned from Acrobat/Reader
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from Acrobat/Reader to suspicious domains
- DNS requests for known exploit infrastructure
SIEM Query:
process_name:"AcroRd32.exe" OR process_name:"Acrobat.exe" AND (event_type:crash OR child_process_count > 3)