CVE-2023-38248: Adobe Security Bulletin

Security update available for Adobe Acrobat and Reader | APSB23-30

Bulletin ID

Date Published

Priority

APSB23-30

August 8, 2023

3

Summary

Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Acrobat and Reader for Windows and macOS. These updates address critical, important and moderate vulnerabilities. Successful exploitation could lead to application denial-of-service, security feature bypass, memory leak and arbitrary code execution .

Affected Versions

Product

Track

Affected Versions

Platform

Acrobat DC

Continuous

23.003.20244 and earlier versions

Windows & macOS

Acrobat Reader DC

Continuous

23.003.20244 and earlier versions

Windows & macOS

Acrobat 2020

Classic 2020

20.005.30467 and earlier versions

Windows & macOS

Acrobat Reader 2020

Classic 2020

20.005.30467 and earlier versions

Windows & macOS

For questions regarding Acrobat DC, please visit the Acrobat DC FAQ page.

For questions regarding Acrobat Reader DC, please visit the Acrobat Reader DC FAQ page.

Solution

Adobe recommends users update their software installations to the latest versions by following the instructions below.

The latest product versions are available to end users via one of the following methods:

• Users can update their product installations manually by choosing Help > Check for Updates.

• The products will update automatically, without requiring user intervention, when updates are detected.

• The full Acrobat Reader installer can be downloaded from the Acrobat Reader Download Center.

For IT administrators (managed environments):

• Refer to the specific release note version for links to installers.

• Install updates via your preferred methodology, such as AIP-GPO, bootstrapper, SCUP/SCCM (Windows), or on macOS, Apple Remote Desktop and SSH.

Adobe categorizes these updates with the following priority ratings and recommends users update their installation to the newest version:

Product

Track

Updated Versions

Platform

Priority Rating

Availability

Acrobat DC

Continuous

23.003.20269

Windows and macOS

3

Release Notes

Acrobat Reader DC

Continuous

23.003.20269

Windows and macOS

3

Release Notes

Acrobat 2020

Classic 2020

20.005.30516.10516 Mac

20.005.30514.10514 Win

Windows  and macOS

3

Release Notes

Acrobat Reader 2020

Classic 2020

20.005.30516.10516 Mac

20.005.30514.10514 Win

Windows  and macOS

3

Release Notes

Vulnerability Details

Vulnerability Category

Vulnerability Impact

Severity

CVSS base score

CVSS vector

CVE Number

Improper Access Control (CWE-284)

Security feature bypass

Critical

8.6

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-29320

Improper Input Validation (CWE-20)

Application denial-of-service

Important

5.6

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVE-2023-29299

Use After Free (CWE-416)

Memory leak

Important

5.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-29303

Use After Free (CWE-416)

Arbitrary code execution

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38222

Access of Uninitialized Pointer (CWE-824)

Arbitrary code execution

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38223

Use After Free (CWE-416)

Arbitrary code execution

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38224

Use After Free (CWE-416)

Arbitrary code execution

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38225

Access of Uninitialized Pointer (CWE-824)

Arbitrary code execution

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38226

Use After Free (CWE-416)

Arbitrary code execution

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38227

Use After Free (CWE-416)

Arbitrary code execution

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38228

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory Leak

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38229

Use After Free (CWE-416)

Memory Leak

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38230

Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787)

Arbitrary code execution

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38231

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory Leak

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38232

Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787)

Arbitrary code execution

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38233

Access of Uninitialized Pointer (CWE-824)

Arbitrary code execution

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38234

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory Leak

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38235

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory leak

Important

5.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38236

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory leak

Important

5.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38237

Use After Free (CWE-416)

Memory leak

Moderate

4.0

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38238

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory leak

Important

5.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38239

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory leak

Important

5.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38240

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory leak

Important

5.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38241

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory leak

Important

5.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38242

Use After Free (CWE-416)

Memory leak

Important

5.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38243

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory leak

Important

5.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38244

Improper Input Validation (CWE-20)

Arbitrary code execution

Important

6.1

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38245

Access of Uninitialized Pointer (CWE-824)

Arbitrary code execution

Critical

7.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2023-38246

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory leak

Moderate

3.3

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38247

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

Memory leak

Moderate

3.3

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

CVE-2023-38248

Acknowledgements

Adobe would like to thank the following for reporting these issues and for working with Adobe to help protect our customers:

• Mat Powell of Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative - CVE-2023-38226, CVE-2023-38227, CVE-2023-38228, CVE-2023-38229, CVE-2023-38230, CVE-2023-38231, CVE-2023-38232, CVE-2023-38233, CVE-2023-38234, CVE-2023-38235, CVE-2023-38236, CVE-2023-38237, CVE-2023-38238, CVE-2023-38239, CVE-2023-38240, CVE-2023-38241, CVE-2023-38242, CVE-2023-38244

• Mark Vincent Yason (@MarkYason) working with Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative - CVE-2023-38222, CVE-2023-38224, CVE-2023-38225

• Anonymous working with Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative - CVE-2023-38247, CVE-2023-38248, CVE-2023-38243, CVE-2023-38223, CVE-2023-29303

• ycdxsb - CVE-2023-29299

• AbdulAziz Hariri (@abdhariri) of Haboob SA (@HaboobSa) - CVE-2023-29320

• j00sean - CVE-2023-38245, CVE-2023-38246

NOTE: Adobe has a private, invite-only, bug bounty program with HackerOne. If you are interested in working with Adobe as an external security researcher, please fill out this form for next steps.

For more information, visit https://helpx.adobe.com/security.html, or email [email protected].