CVE-2022-27793
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC that could allow arbitrary code execution when a user opens a malicious PDF file. Attackers could gain the same privileges as the current user. All users of affected Acrobat Reader DC versions are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
📦 What is this software?
Acrobat by Adobe
Acrobat by Adobe
Acrobat by Adobe
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with attacker gaining full control of the victim's computer, data theft, ransomware deployment, and lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation leading to data exfiltration, credential theft, and installation of persistent malware or backdoors.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper application sandboxing, minimal user privileges, and network segmentation preventing lateral movement.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction (opening malicious file). No public exploit code available at disclosure.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 22.001.20085 (Continuous Track), 20.005.30314 (Classic 2020 Track), 17.012.30206 (Classic 2017 Track)
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb22-16.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. 2. Go to Help > Check for Updates. 3. Follow prompts to install latest version. 4. Restart computer if required.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JavaScript in Adobe Reader
allPrevents JavaScript-based exploitation vectors
Edit > Preferences > JavaScript > Uncheck 'Enable Acrobat JavaScript'
Use Protected View
allOpens untrusted PDFs in sandboxed environment
File > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) > Enable Protected View for all files
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict PDF file opening to trusted sources only
- Implement application whitelisting to block unauthorized executables
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Adobe Reader version in Help > About Adobe Acrobat Reader DCCheck Version:
Windows: "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" /? | find "Version"Verify Fix Applied:
Verify version is later than affected versions: 22.001.20086+, 20.005.30315+, or 17.012.30207+📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected Adobe Reader crashes
- Suspicious child processes spawned from AcroRd32.exe
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound connections from Adobe Reader process
SIEM Query:
process_name:"AcroRd32.exe" AND (event_id:1 OR parent_process_name NOT IN ("explorer.exe", "cmd.exe"))