CVE-2022-44516
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2022-44516 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC that allows attackers to bypass ASLR protections by tricking users into opening malicious PDF files. This affects users of Acrobat Reader DC versions 22.001.20085 and earlier, 20.005.3031x and earlier, and 17.012.30205 and earlier. Successful exploitation requires user interaction through opening a crafted file.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
📦 What is this software?
Acrobat by Adobe
Acrobat by Adobe
Acrobat by Adobe
Acrobat by Adobe
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete ASLR bypass enabling reliable exploitation of additional vulnerabilities for arbitrary code execution with user privileges.
Likely Case
Information disclosure or ASLR bypass that could facilitate exploitation of other vulnerabilities in combination attacks.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to user interaction requirement and ASLR bypass alone not providing direct code execution.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction (opening malicious file) and typically needs to be combined with other vulnerabilities for full code execution.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 22.001.20085 (Continuous), 20.005.30314 (Classic 2020), 17.012.30206 (Classic 2017)
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 available updates
4. Restart the application when prompted
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JavaScript in PDFs
allPrevents many PDF-based attacks by disabling JavaScript execution
Edit > Preferences > JavaScript > Uncheck 'Enable Acrobat JavaScript'
Use Protected View
allOpen untrusted PDFs in Protected View mode to limit potential damage
File > Properties > Security > Enable Protected View for untrusted documents
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Block PDF files from untrusted sources at email gateways and web proxies
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized PDF readers
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Help > About Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and compare version against affected rangesCheck Version:
On Windows: "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" /? | findstr /i versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 22.001.20085 or higher (Continuous), 20.005.30314 or higher (Classic 2020), or 17.012.30206 or higher (Classic 2017)📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes in Acrobat Reader with memory access violations
- Security event logs showing PDF file execution from suspicious sources
Network Indicators:
- Downloads of PDF files from untrusted domains
- Unusual outbound connections after PDF file opening
SIEM Query:
source="*acrobat*" AND (event_id=1000 OR event_id=1001) AND message="*Access Violation*" OR message="*Out of bounds*"