Code execution via stale AcroForm object
Published Sep 11, 2023 · Updated May 27, 2026
Use-after-free in Adobe Acrobat Reader 22.001.20142 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code through a malicious PDF. AcroForm value handling operates on an object without first validating that it still exists, leaving a stale reference usable after its memory is freed. A target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file, and successful exploitation runs code in the current process and user's security context.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Adobe Acrobat Reader 22.001.20142 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code through a malicious PDF. AcroForm value handling operates on an object without first validating that it still exists, leaving a stale reference usable after its memory is freed. A target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file, and successful exploitation runs code in the current process and user's security context.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-34227
- Published
- Sep 11, 2023
- Updated
- May 27, 2026
- Vendor
- Adobe
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1204.002, T1203
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 11, 2023CVE 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
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <=17.012.30229
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
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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