Acrobat Reader (<= 24.001.30365) - CraftedSignal Threat Feedhttps://feed.craftedsignal.io/products/acrobat-reader--24.001.30365/Trending threats, MITRE ATT&CK coverage, and detection metadata. Fed continuously.Hugoenhello@craftedsignal.iohello@craftedsignal.ioFri, 17 Jul 2026 20:28:15 +0000CVE-2026-48373: Adobe Acrobat Reader Heap-based Buffer Overflowhttps://feed.craftedsignal.io/briefs/2026-07-cve-2026-48373-adobe-acrobat-reader/Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:28:15 +0000hello@craftedsignal.iohttps://feed.craftedsignal.io/briefs/2026-07-cve-2026-48373-adobe-acrobat-reader/A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability, CVE-2026-48373, in Adobe Acrobat Reader could allow an attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user when a victim opens a specially crafted malicious file.A critical heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability, identified as CVE-2026-48373, has been discovered in Adobe Acrobat Reader. This flaw allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the currently logged-in user. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically coaxing a victim to open a specially crafted malicious file, such as a PDF. Once triggered, the vulnerability can bypass security measures and execute arbitrary code, leading to system compromise, data exfiltration, or further malware deployment. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Acrobat Reader, including those up to and including 24.001.30365 and 26.001.21651.

Attack Chain

  1. An attacker crafts a malicious file, typically a PDF document, specifically designed to exploit the heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CVE-2026-48373) in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  2. The attacker delivers this malicious file to a target through social engineering tactics, such as a phishing email attachment or a link to a malicious website.
  3. The victim is enticed to open the malicious file using the vulnerable Adobe Acrobat Reader application.
  4. When processed by the affected Acrobat Reader, the crafted file triggers the heap-based buffer overflow, corrupting memory.
  5. This memory corruption allows the attacker to inject and execute arbitrary code within the context of the user account running Acrobat Reader.
  6. The attacker-controlled code runs with the user's privileges, enabling various malicious actions such as installing additional malware, modifying system configurations, or exfiltrating sensitive data.
  7. Following successful code execution, the attacker may attempt to establish persistence on the system or move laterally within the network.

Impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2026-48373 leads to arbitrary code execution, granting the attacker full control over the compromised system within the context of the user running Acrobat Reader. This can result in significant data loss or theft, complete system compromise, and serve as a foothold for further network intrusion. Organizations could face severe operational disruption, financial losses, and reputational damage due to intellectual property theft or sensitive information exposure.

Recommendation

  • Patch CVE-2026-48373 on all affected Adobe Acrobat Reader installations immediately by upgrading to a non-vulnerable version. This typically involves applying updates referenced in the Adobe advisory linked in the references section.
  • Educate users about the risks of opening suspicious or unsolicited files, particularly PDF documents, from untrusted sources to mitigate the user interaction requirement for exploitation.
  • Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for unusual process activity originating from document readers, such as AcroRd32.exe spawning child processes like cmd.exe or powershell.exe.
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