Adobe Acrobat & Reader: 12 Critical Vulnerabilities Patched
Adobe released security updates for Acrobat and Reader addressing 12 critical vulnerabilities that could allow arbitrary code execution when opening a malicious PDF. Enable automatic updates or deploy via your RMM tool immediately.
Vulnerability Details
Adobe released APSB26-14, a security bulletin addressing 12 critical and 8 important vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat and Reader. The critical vulnerabilities include use-after-free flaws, out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities, and heap buffer overflow issues that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. Exploitation requires a user to open a specially crafted PDF document — no other interaction is required. Given that PDF documents are one of the most common file types exchanged in business communications, this represents a significant risk.
Why This Matters for SMBs
Adobe Acrobat and Reader are installed on the vast majority of business computers. PDFs are used for invoices, contracts, reports, and countless other business documents. Attackers frequently use malicious PDFs as a delivery mechanism for malware because they are trusted file types that employees open without hesitation. A single employee opening a malicious PDF attachment in a phishing email could result in a complete system compromise. With 12 critical vulnerabilities now publicly disclosed, attackers will quickly develop exploits targeting unpatched systems.
Update Instructions
To update Adobe Acrobat or Reader manually, open the application and go to Help > Check for Updates. Alternatively, enable automatic updates in Edit > Preferences > Updater. For organizations managing multiple endpoints, deploy the update through your Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tool or software deployment system. Adobe has also published the updated installers on their website for manual deployment. The fixed versions are Acrobat DC 24.005.21009 and Acrobat 2020 20.005.30748.
- Update Adobe Acrobat and Reader to the latest version immediately
- Enable automatic updates in Adobe Acrobat preferences
- Train employees not to open PDF attachments from unknown senders
- Consider deploying PDFs in Protected View mode by default
- Deploy the update via your RMM tool if you manage multiple endpoints
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