CVE-2024-20731Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Code execution via freed FileAttachment annotation reuse

Published Feb 15, 2024 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Use-after-free in Adobe Acrobat and Reader allows remote attackers to execute code as the current user via a malicious PDF. The FileAttachment PDAnnot destroy path frees an annotation, then later dereferences the stale object without validating its lifetime. Execution requires the victim to open a PDF containing crafted JavaScript and runs with that victim's privileges.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability2.61%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Adobe Acrobat and Reader allows remote attackers to execute code as the current user via a malicious PDF. The FileAttachment PDAnnot destroy path frees an annotation, then later dereferences the stale object without validating its lifetime. Execution requires the victim to open a PDF containing crafted JavaScript and runs with that victim's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-20731
Published
Feb 15, 2024
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Acrobat
Classifications
CWE-416, T1204.002, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 15, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 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=0 <=23.008.20470
  2. Affected versionversion=2020 <20.005.30539

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Acrobatversion=0 <=23.008.20470; version=2020 <20.005.30539
Adobe · Adobe Acrobat Readerversion=0 <=23.008.20470; version=2020 <=20.005.30539

Published CVSS scores

8.8AdobeCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8Cisco TalosCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1204.002Malicious File
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

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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