# CVE-2019-8238: Path traversal in Adobe Acrobat and Reader

> A path traversal vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat and Reader allows attackers to disclose sensitive information to the current user.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **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-gww8-x289-8wq4

## What is CVE-2019-8238?

CVE-2019-8238 is a high-severity path traversal 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 2019.010.20100 and earlier; 2019.010.20099 and earlier versions; 2017.011.30140 and earlier version; 2017.011.30138 and earlier version; 2015.006.30495 and earlier versions; 2015.006.30493 and earlier versions have a Path Traversal vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to Information Disclosure in the context of the current user.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-8238?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Adobe Acrobat Dc, Adobe Acrobat Reader Dc.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-8238?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-8238 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-8238 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-8238 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-2019-8238 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-8238 is a high-severity path traversal 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-2019-8238 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-2019-8238/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8238/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-8238
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-8238
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-8238

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8238/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.