Code execution via unquoted AcrobatUtils file path
Published Aug 20, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024
OS command injection in Adobe Acrobat Reader allows local users to execute code when a victim opens a malicious Microsoft Office file. The OpenPDFFile and ConvertToPDF handlers in AcrobatUtils.scpt pass a caller-controlled path directly to do shell script without shell quoting, enabling current-user commands outside the Office sandbox. Reader DC 2021.005.20054 and earlier, Reader 2020 2020.004.30005 and earlier, and Reader 2017 2017.011.30197 and earlier are affected; exploitation requires an authenticated local attacker and victim interaction.
Summary
What happened
OS command injection in Adobe Acrobat Reader allows local users to execute code when a victim opens a malicious Microsoft Office file. The OpenPDFFile and ConvertToPDF handlers in AcrobatUtils.scpt pass a caller-controlled path directly to do shell script without shell quoting, enabling current-user commands outside the Office sandbox. Reader DC 2021.005.20054 and earlier, Reader 2020 2020.004.30005 and earlier, and Reader 2017 2017.011.30197 and earlier are affected; exploitation requires an authenticated local attacker and victim interaction.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-28634
- Published
- Aug 20, 2021
- Updated
- Sep 16, 2024
- Vendor
- Adobe
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Classifications
- CWE-78, T1204.002, T1059.002
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 20, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <=2017.011.30197
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <=2020.004.30005
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <=2021.005.20054
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- AcrobatUtils.scpt OpenPDFFile command-injection demonstrationfunctional · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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