CVE-2022-38450

Code execution as current user

Published Oct 14, 2022 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Stack-based buffer overflow in Adobe Acrobat Reader allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in the current user's context through a malicious PDF. Adobe identifies the memory-safety error but does not disclose the affected parser, function, or unchecked operation. The attack requires a victim to open the file; 22.002.20212 and earlier and 20.005.30381 and earlier are affected on Windows and macOS.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability2.66%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stack-based buffer overflow in Adobe Acrobat Reader allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in the current user's context through a malicious PDF. Adobe identifies the memory-safety error but does not disclose the affected parser, function, or unchecked operation. The attack requires a victim to open the file; 22.002.20212 and earlier and 20.005.30381 and earlier are affected on Windows and macOS.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-38450
Published
Oct 14, 2022
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Classifications
CWE-121, T1204.002, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 14, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 23, 2025Record 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=20.005.30381
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=22.002.20212
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Acrobat Readerversion=unspecified <=20.005.30381; version=unspecified <=22.002.20212; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

7.8AdobeCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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-121Stack-based Buffer Overflow
T1204.002User Execution Malicious File
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

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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