CVE-2022-28256

Sensitive-memory disclosure via annotation use-after-free

Published May 11, 2022 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Use-after-free in affected Adobe Acrobat Reader releases allows attackers to read sensitive memory through a malicious PDF file. Adobe identifies the annotation subsystem but has not published the object-lifetime error that permits access after memory is freed. Continuous 22.001.20085 and earlier, Classic 2020 20.005.30314 and earlier on Windows or 20.005.30311 and earlier on macOS, and Classic 2017 17.012.30205 and earlier are affected; exploitation requires a victim to open the file, with no reported integrity or availability impact.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability2.45%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in affected Adobe Acrobat Reader releases allows attackers to read sensitive memory through a malicious PDF file. Adobe identifies the annotation subsystem but has not published the object-lifetime error that permits access after memory is freed. Continuous 22.001.20085 and earlier, Classic 2020 20.005.30314 and earlier on Windows or 20.005.30311 and earlier on macOS, and Classic 2017 17.012.30205 and earlier are affected; exploitation requires a victim to open the file, with no reported integrity or availability impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-28256
Published
May 11, 2022
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Classifications
CWE-416, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 11, 2022CVE 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

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=17.012.30205
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=20.005.3031x
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=22.001.20085
  4. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Acrobat Readerversion=unspecified <=17.012.30205; version=unspecified <=20.005.3031x; version=unspecified <=22.001.20085; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

5.5AdobeCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1204.002Malicious File

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

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Your stack

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