CVE-2025-43573: Adobe Acrobat DC RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-43573 Overview

CVE-2025-43573 is a Use After Free vulnerability affecting Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 24.001.30235, 20.005.30763, 25.001.20521 and earlier. This memory corruption flaw could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. Successful exploitation requires user interaction, specifically that a victim must open a malicious PDF file crafted to trigger the vulnerability.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation enables arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data theft, or malware installation.

Affected Products

• Adobe Acrobat DC (Continuous track) versions prior to the patched release
• Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (Continuous track) versions prior to the patched release
• Adobe Acrobat (Classic track) versions 24.001.30235 and earlier
• Adobe Acrobat Reader (Classic track) versions 20.005.30763 and earlier
• Adobe Acrobat versions 25.001.20521 and earlier
• Affected on Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS platforms

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-06-10 - CVE-2025-43573 published to NVD
• 2025-06-27 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-43573

Vulnerability Analysis

This Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability occurs when Adobe Acrobat Reader continues to reference memory after it has been freed. When processing a specially crafted PDF document, the application may free a memory object but retain a dangling pointer to that memory location. Subsequent operations that dereference this pointer can lead to arbitrary code execution as the freed memory may be reallocated and controlled by attacker-supplied data.

The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction to exploit. An attacker would need to convince a user to open a malicious PDF file, either through social engineering tactics such as phishing emails or by hosting the malicious file on a compromised or attacker-controlled website. Upon successful exploitation, the attacker gains code execution privileges equivalent to those of the targeted user.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-43573 lies in improper memory management within Adobe Acrobat Reader's PDF parsing and rendering engine. When certain PDF objects are processed, the application fails to properly invalidate references to memory after deallocation. This creates a use-after-free condition where:

1. A memory object is allocated during PDF processing
2. The memory is subsequently freed but references to it remain active
3. The dangling pointer is later dereferenced during document rendering
4. An attacker can manipulate heap layout to place controlled data at the freed memory location

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2025-43573 is local, requiring user interaction. The typical exploitation scenario involves:

1. An attacker crafts a malicious PDF document containing specially structured objects designed to trigger the use-after-free condition
2. The malicious PDF is delivered to the victim via email attachment, download link, or website hosting
3. When the victim opens the PDF with a vulnerable version of Adobe Acrobat Reader, the memory corruption occurs
4. The attacker leverages heap manipulation techniques to control the contents of the freed memory
5. Code execution is achieved when the application uses the corrupted memory, allowing the attacker to run arbitrary code with user privileges

The vulnerability mechanism exploits memory management flaws in PDF object handling. Attackers typically combine this with heap spraying or other memory layout manipulation techniques to achieve reliable exploitation. For detailed technical information, refer to the Adobe Security Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-43573

Indicators of Compromise

• Presence of abnormal PDF files with suspicious embedded JavaScript or unusual object structures
• Adobe Acrobat Reader crashes or unexpected termination when opening PDF documents
• Unusual child processes spawned from AcroRd32.exe or Acrobat.exe
• Memory access violations or heap corruption errors in application event logs
• Network connections initiated from Acrobat Reader processes to unknown external destinations

Detection Strategies

• Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring process behavior and memory operations
• Implement file-based detection rules for PDF documents containing suspicious object streams or JavaScript
• Monitor for exploitation indicators such as heap spray patterns or ROP chains in memory
• Configure SIEM rules to alert on Adobe Reader crash events correlated with PDF file access
• Utilize sandboxing solutions to analyze suspicious PDF attachments before user access

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable enhanced logging for Adobe Acrobat Reader application events
• Monitor process creation events for suspicious child processes of Acrobat Reader
• Track file system access patterns for newly created or modified PDF files
• Implement network monitoring for unusual outbound connections from PDF reader processes
• Review security logs for exploitation attempts targeting document readers

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-43573

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Reader to the latest patched versions immediately
• Enable Protected Mode in Adobe Acrobat Reader to reduce the attack surface
• Configure PDF applications to disable JavaScript execution unless explicitly required
• Implement email filtering to quarantine or scan PDF attachments before delivery
• Educate users about the risks of opening PDF files from untrusted sources

Patch Information

Adobe has released security updates to address CVE-2025-43573. Organizations should apply the patches detailed in Adobe Security Bulletin APSB25-57. The update addresses the use-after-free vulnerability by implementing proper memory management and pointer invalidation after object deallocation.

Administrators should prioritize patching across all affected systems, including both the Continuous and Classic tracks of Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Reader on Windows and macOS platforms.

Workarounds

• Enable Protected View for all PDF files opened from untrusted sources
• Disable JavaScript in Adobe Acrobat Reader via Edit > Preferences > JavaScript
• Use alternative PDF readers with sandboxing capabilities for untrusted documents
• Implement application whitelisting to restrict execution of unauthorized code
• Deploy network segmentation to limit the impact of potential compromise

# Disable JavaScript in Adobe Acrobat Reader via registry (Windows)
reg add "HKCU\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\JSPrefs" /v bEnableJS /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

# Enable Protected Mode (Windows)
reg add "HKCU\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\Privileged" /v bProtectedMode /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f