CVE-2023-44365: Adobe Acrobat Reader · Access of Uninitialized Pointer
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
- 2.0% 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 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-2023-44365 and apply updates promptly once available. 2. Until patches are released, implement strict email filtering and attachment scanning to block or quarantine suspicious PDF files. 3. Educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited or unexpected PDF attachments, emphasizing caution with emails from unknown or untrusted sources. 4. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to limit the execution context of Acrobat Reader and contain potential exploitation. 5. Restrict user privileges to the minimum necessary to reduce the impact of arbitrary code execution. 6. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 7. Consider disabling JavaScript execution within Acrobat Reader if not required, as this can reduce attack surface. 8. Maintain regular backups and incident response plans to quickly recover from potential compromises.
Description
CVE-2023-44365 is a high-severity vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Reader affecting versions 23.006.20360 and earlier, as well as 20.005.30524 and earlier. It involves an access of an uninitialized pointer (CWE-824) that can lead to arbitrary code execution within the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically opening a malicious PDF file. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.8, indicating significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild.