CVE-2018-4913: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC XFA picture Use-After-Free Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Published Feb 27, 2018
·
Updated

An issue was discovered in Adobe Acrobat Reader 2018.009.20050 and earlier versions, 2017.011.30070 and earlier versions, 2015.006.30394 and earlier versions. This vulnerability is an instance of a use after free vulnerability in the XFA engine, related to DOM manipulation. The vulnerability is triggered by crafted XFA script definitions in a PDF file. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.

Other sources

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the handling of XFA picture elements. The issue results from the lack of validating the existence of an object prior to performing operations on the object. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code under the context of the current process.

Affected Software

7 affected components
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Adobe Acrobat>=17.0<=17.011.30070
Adobe Acrobat DC>=-<=18.009.20050
Adobe Acrobat DC>=15.0<=15.006.30394
Adobe Acrobat Reader>=17.0<=17.011.30070
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC>=-<=18.009.20050
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC>=15.0<=15.006.30394

Event History

Feb 27, 2018
CVE Published
via MITRE·05:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·05:00 AM
DescriptionWeakness
Feb 26, 2025
Advisory Published
12:03 PM

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2018-4913?

CVE-2018-4913 has a severity rating of critical due to its use after free vulnerability which could lead to remote code execution.

2

How do I fix CVE-2018-4913?

To fix CVE-2018-4913, users should update Adobe Acrobat Reader and Acrobat DC to the latest versions as provided by Adobe.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2018-4913?

CVE-2018-4913 affects Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 2018.009.20050 and earlier, 2017.011.30070 and earlier, and 2015.006.30394 and earlier.

4

Can CVE-2018-4913 be exploited remotely?

Yes, CVE-2018-4913 can potentially be exploited remotely through maliciously crafted PDF documents.

5

What are the symptoms of CVE-2018-4913 exploitation?

Exploitation of CVE-2018-4913 may lead to unexpected application crashes or allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected system.

Contact

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