Code execution via Doc flattenPages use-after-free
Published May 11, 2022 · Updated May 27, 2026
Use-after-free in Adobe Acrobat Reader 22.001.20085 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code through a crafted PDF. During Doc object handling, flattenPages performs operations without first validating that the referenced object still exists, enabling reuse of freed memory. Exploitation requires the current user to open the malicious file or visit a page that supplies it, and code runs in the Reader process context.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Adobe Acrobat Reader 22.001.20085 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code through a crafted PDF. During Doc object handling, flattenPages performs operations without first validating that the referenced object still exists, enabling reuse of freed memory. Exploitation requires the current user to open the malicious file or visit a page that supplies it, and code runs in the Reader process context.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-28838
- Published
- May 11, 2022
- Updated
- May 27, 2026
- Vendor
- Adobe
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1203, T1204.002
- 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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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