CVE-2026-81975

Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Use After Free in Adobe Acrobat Reader Leading to Arbitrary Code Execution

Publication date: 2026-09-08

Last updated on: 2026-09-10

Assigner: Adobe Systems Incorporated

Description

Acrobat Reader is affected by a Use After Free vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published

2026-09-08

Last Modified

2026-09-10

Generated

2026-09-29

AI Q&A

2026-09-10

EPSS Evaluated

2026-09-27

NVD

CVE-2026-81975

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
adobe	acrobat_dc	From 15.008.20082 (inc) to 26.002.21901 (exc)
adobe	acrobat_reader_dc	From 15.008.20082 (inc) to 26.002.21901 (exc)
adobe	acrobat	From 24.001.20604 (inc) to 24.001.30429 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-416	The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is a Use After Free vulnerability in Acrobat Reader that could allow arbitrary code execution. It requires user interaction, meaning a victim must open a malicious file to trigger the issue.

Detection Guidance

Since this is a Use After Free vulnerability in Acrobat Reader requiring user interaction, detection involves monitoring for suspicious PDF files or unusual application behavior. Check for recently opened PDFs from untrusted sources. Use process monitoring tools like Process Explorer or Windows Event Viewer to track Acrobat Reader crashes or unexpected memory usage patterns.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could let an attacker run malicious code on your system with the same privileges as your user account. This could lead to data theft, system damage, or further compromise of your device.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update Acrobat Reader to the latest patched version. Disable PDF opening in web browsers or email clients to prevent automatic exploitation. Restrict user permissions to limit impact if exploitation occurs. Monitor Adobe's security advisories for further updates.

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