# CVE-2017-16393: Use after free in Adobe Acrobat Reader 2017.012.20098 and earlier versions, 2017.011.30066 and earlier versions, 2015.006.30355 and earlier versions, 11.0.22 and earlier versions

> A use-after-free flaw in the JavaScript engine allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted documents.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Dec 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r2m3-p2xv-hwr4

## What is CVE-2017-16393?

CVE-2017-16393 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat, published on 9 Dec 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in Adobe Acrobat and Reader: 2017.012.20098 and earlier versions, 2017.011.30066 and earlier versions, 2015.006.30355 and earlier versions, and 11.0.22 and earlier versions. This vulnerability is an instance of a use after free vulnerability in the JavaScript engine. The mismatch between an old and a new object can provide an attacker with unintended memory access -- potentially leading to code corruption, control-flow hijack, or an information leak attack. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-16393?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Acrobat Dc, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Adobe Acrobat Reader Dc.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-16393?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-16393 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-16393 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-16393 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat

- [CVE-2021-28550](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28550/): Adobe Acrobat and Reader Use-After-Free (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-21017](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21017/): Adobe Acrobat and Reader Heap-based Buffer Overflow (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-0546](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0546/): Adobe Reader and Acrobat Sandbox Bypass (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-0496](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0496/): Adobe Reader and Acrobat Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-3346](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-3346/): Adobe Reader and Acrobat Memory Corruption (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-16393 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-16393 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat, published on 9 Dec 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-16393 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Adobe Acrobat. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16393/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16393/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-16393
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16393
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-16393

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16393/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.