CVE-2026-81996

Low-privileged local user elevation

Published Sep 8, 2026 · Updated Sep 9, 2026

Incorrect authorization in Adobe Acrobat and Reader allows local users with low privileges to gain elevated access without interaction. Adobe has not disclosed the affected component or the authorization check that incorrectly grants higher privileges. The issue affects Windows and macOS releases through Acrobat and Reader 26.002.21900 and Acrobat 2024 24.001.30383, and successful exploitation crosses the application security boundary.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect authorization in Adobe Acrobat and Reader allows local users with low privileges to gain elevated access without interaction. Adobe has not disclosed the affected component or the authorization check that incorrectly grants higher privileges. The issue affects Windows and macOS releases through Acrobat and Reader 26.002.21900 and Acrobat 2024 24.001.30383, and successful exploitation crosses the application security boundary.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-81996
Published
Sep 8, 2026
Updated
Sep 9, 2026
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Acrobat Pro 2024
Classifications
CWE-863, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 9, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=24.001.30383

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Acrobat Pro 2024version=0 <=24.001.30383
Adobe · Adobe Acrobatversion=0 <=26.002.21900
Adobe · Adobe Acrobat Readerversion=0 <=26.002.21900

Published CVSS scores

8.8AdobeCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
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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