CVE-2025-43579
📋 TL;DR
Acrobat Reader versions 24.001.30235, 20.005.30763, 25.001.20521 and earlier contain an information exposure vulnerability that could allow attackers to bypass security features and access sensitive information without user interaction. This affects all users running vulnerable versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
📦 What is this software?
Acrobat by Adobe
Acrobat by Adobe
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could exfiltrate sensitive documents, credentials, or system information from vulnerable systems, potentially leading to data breaches or further compromise.
Likely Case
Targeted attacks against organizations to steal confidential PDF documents or extract information from PDF processing systems.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation, application whitelisting, and updated systems.
🎯 Exploit Status
No user interaction required for exploitation. Attack complexity appears low based on CVSS and description.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Update to version 24.002.20736, 20.005.30844, or 25.002.20697 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb25-57.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Adobe Acrobat 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 Acrobat Reader
allDisabling JavaScript may reduce attack surface as many PDF exploits rely on JavaScript execution.
Edit > Preferences > JavaScript > Uncheck 'Enable Acrobat JavaScript'
Enable Protected View for all files
allForce all PDFs to open in Protected View mode to limit potential damage.
Edit > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) > Check 'Enable Protected View at startup' and 'Enable Enhanced Security'
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to block unauthorized PDF readers
- Use network segmentation to isolate PDF processing systems from sensitive networks
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Help > About Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and compare version against affected versions list.Check Version:
On Windows: wmic product where "name like 'Adobe Acrobat Reader%'" get versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 24.002.20736 or higher, 20.005.30844 or higher, or 25.002.20697 or higher.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual PDF file access patterns
- Multiple failed PDF parsing attempts
- Unexpected Acrobat Reader process termination
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from PDF reader processes
- Data exfiltration patterns from systems running Acrobat Reader
SIEM Query:
process_name:"AcroRd32.exe" OR process_name:"Acrobat.exe" AND (event_type:"process_crash" OR event_type:"unexpected_exit")