Code execution via PDF addIcon type confusion
Published Jul 14, 2023 · Updated Feb 28, 2025
Type confusion in Microsoft Edge before 114.0.1823.82 allows context-dependent attackers to execute code through a crafted PDF file. The Acrobat-based PDF engine's addIcon implementation inadequately validates the object type supplied by PDF JavaScript, causing invalid pointer use and arbitrary memory writes. A victim must open the malicious document in Edge; the demonstrated outcome is a browser crash, while controlled memory corruption enables code execution.
Summary
What happened
Type confusion in Microsoft Edge before 114.0.1823.82 allows context-dependent attackers to execute code through a crafted PDF file. The Acrobat-based PDF engine's addIcon implementation inadequately validates the object type supplied by PDF JavaScript, causing invalid pointer use and arbitrary memory writes. A victim must open the malicious document in Edge; the demonstrated outcome is a browser crash, while controlled memory corruption enables code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-36887
- Published
- Jul 14, 2023
- Updated
- Feb 28, 2025
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)
- Classifications
- CWE-843, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 14, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 28, 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.
- Affected versionversion=1.0.0 <114.0.1823.82
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
- Cisco Talos addIcon PDF proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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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