CVE-2023-21611

Privilege escalation via insecure temporary-file creation

Published Jan 18, 2023 · Updated Mar 5, 2025

Insecure temporary-file creation in Adobe Acrobat Reader allows attackers to escalate privileges after a user opens a malicious PDF. The application creates a temporary file in a directory whose permissions expose the file to unintended local users; Adobe has not disclosed the file path or consuming operation. Opening the crafted file is required, and successful exploitation elevates privileges in the current user's context on Windows or macOS.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.40%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Insecure temporary-file creation in Adobe Acrobat Reader allows attackers to escalate privileges after a user opens a malicious PDF. The application creates a temporary file in a directory whose permissions expose the file to unintended local users; Adobe has not disclosed the file path or consuming operation. Opening the crafted file is required, and successful exploitation elevates privileges in the current user's context on Windows or macOS.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-21611
Published
Jan 18, 2023
Updated
Mar 5, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Classifications
CWE-657, CWE-379, CWE-668, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 18, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 5, 2025Record 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 <=20.005.30418
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=22.003.20281
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=22.003.20282
  4. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Acrobat Readerversion=unspecified <=20.005.30418; version=unspecified <=22.003.20281; version=unspecified <=22.003.20282; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

6.4Adobe APSB23-01CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Adobe Systems Incorporated CNACVSS: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-657Violation of Secure Design Principles
CWE-379Creation of Temporary File in Directory with Insecure Permissions
CWE-668Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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