# CVE-2019-8237: Weak cryptography in Adobe Acrobat and Reader

> Attackers can bypass security features in Adobe Acrobat and Reader due to insufficiently robust encryption, requiring users to apply vendor patches.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Oct 2019
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cjqj-g595-fh5j

## What is CVE-2019-8237?

CVE-2019-8237 is a critical vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Dc, published on 23 Oct 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Adobe Acrobat and Reader versions 2019.012.20035 and earlier, 2019.012.20035 and earlier, 2017.011.30142 and earlier, 2017.011.30143 and earlier, 2015.006.30497 and earlier, and 2015.006.30498 and earlier have an insufficiently robust encryption vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to security feature bypass.

Weakness: CWE-327 (Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-8237?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Adobe Acrobat Dc, Adobe Acrobat Reader Dc.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-8237?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-8237 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-8237 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-8237 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat Dc

- [CVE-2018-4990](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4990/): Adobe Acrobat and Reader Double Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-9715](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9715/): Adobe Acrobat Use-After-Free (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-3792](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3792/): Use after free in Adobe Acrobat and Reader (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-3793](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3793/): Use after free in Adobe Acrobat and Reader (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-3795](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3795/): Memory corruption in Adobe Acrobat and Reader (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-8237 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-8237 is a critical vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Dc, published on 23 Oct 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-8237 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Adobe Acrobat Dc. 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-2019-8237/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8237/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-8237
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-8237
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-8237

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8237/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.