Code execution via stale annotation object access
Published May 11, 2022 · Updated May 27, 2026
Use-after-free in annotation handling in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC allows attackers to execute code through a malicious PDF. Annotation processing fails to verify that an object still exists before operating on it, allowing reuse of freed memory. Execution requires a victim to open the crafted file or visit a malicious page and runs in the current user's process context.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in annotation handling in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC allows attackers to execute code through a malicious PDF. Annotation processing fails to verify that an object still exists before operating on it, allowing reuse of freed memory. Execution requires a victim to open the crafted file or visit a malicious page and runs in the current user's process context.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-27801
- Published
- May 11, 2022
- Updated
- May 27, 2026
- Vendor
- Adobe
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1203
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 11, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 27, 2026Record 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 <=17.012.30205
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <=20.005.3031x
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <=22.001.20085
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo