CVE-2020-29075Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Document-use tracking via automatic DNS callbacks

Published Feb 23, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Improper input validation in Adobe Acrobat Reader 2020.013.20066 and earlier allows attackers to track local PDF use via DNS. A crafted annotation uses page-visible or page-close actions to invoke CBSharedReviewIfOfflineDialog with an attacker-controlled host, causing a promptless DNS lookup. Opening the crafted PDF from the filesystem is required; the bounded consequence is disclosure of when the document is opened or closed.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability7.88%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in Adobe Acrobat Reader 2020.013.20066 and earlier allows attackers to track local PDF use via DNS. A crafted annotation uses page-visible or page-close actions to invoke CBSharedReviewIfOfflineDialog with an attacker-controlled host, causing a promptless DNS lookup. Opening the crafted PDF from the filesystem is required; the bounded consequence is disclosure of when the document is opened or closed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-29075
Published
Feb 23, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Classifications
CWE-20, T1204.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 23, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=<= 2017.011.30180
  2. Affected versionversion=<= 2020.001.30010
  3. Affected versionversion=<= 2020.013.20066

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Acrobat Readerversion=<= 2017.011.30180; version=<= 2020.001.30010; version=<= 2020.013.20066

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
7.1Adobe Systems IncorporatedCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N
4.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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