CVE-2023-44338: Adobe Acrobat Reader · Out-of-bounds Read
Affects Adobe Acrobat ReaderSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC
- EPSS
- 2.0% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 81% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 16 Nov 2023
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
- Monitor Adobe’s official channels for patches and apply updates immediately once available to remediate the vulnerability.
- Implement robust email filtering solutions to detect and block malicious PDF attachments or links.
- Employ endpoint protection platforms with behavior-based detection to identify suspicious activities related to PDF processing.
- Educate users on the risks of opening unsolicited or unexpected PDF files, emphasizing verification of sender authenticity.
- Restrict Acrobat Reader usage privileges where possible, such as running the application with least privilege and disabling JavaScript within PDFs if not required.
- Use network segmentation to limit the impact of a compromised host.
- Regularly audit and update software inventory to ensure vulnerable versions are identified and remediated promptly.
- Consider deploying application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code spawned by exploitation attempts.
Description
CVE-2023-44338 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 23.006.20360 and earlier, as well as 20.005.30524 and earlier. The flaw occurs when parsing a specially crafted file, allowing an attacker to read memory beyond allocated bounds. Successful exploitation requires user interaction, specifically opening a malicious PDF file, and can lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with a CVSS score of 7.8. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild.