CVE-2023-44359: Adobe Acrobat Reader · Use After Free
Affects Adobe Acrobat ReaderSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 06:26 UTC
- EPSS
- 2.1% 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 2026-10-26.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
1. Monitor Adobe’s official channels for patches addressing CVE-2023-44359 and apply updates immediately upon release. 2. Until patches are available, restrict Adobe Acrobat Reader usage to trusted documents only and educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited PDFs. 3. Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code spawned by malicious PDFs. 4. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting use-after-free exploitation patterns and anomalous process behaviors. 5. Configure Adobe Reader’s security settings to disable JavaScript execution and other potentially exploitable features within PDFs. 6. Use network-level protections such as email filtering and sandboxing to detect and block malicious PDF attachments. 7. Enforce the principle of least privilege on user accounts to limit the impact of code execution under user context. 8. Conduct phishing awareness training focusing on the dangers of opening unexpected attachments. 9. Regularly audit and inventory Adobe Acrobat Reader versions deployed across the organization to identify and remediate vulnerable installations. 10. Consider alternative PDF readers with a smaller attack surface in high-risk environments until patches are applied.
Description
CVE-2023-44359 is a high-severity Use After Free vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 23.006.20360 and earlier, as well as 20.005.30524 and earlier. This flaw allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user if the victim opens a specially crafted malicious PDF file. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically opening the malicious document. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with a CVSS score of 7.8 indicating significant risk. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild.