CVE-2026-81975: Adobe Acrobat Reader use-after-free vulnerability

CVE-2026-81975 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.8 · Published 2026-09-08

Adobe Acrobat Reader, a widely used document viewing application, contains a use-after-free memory vulnerability that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the same privileges as the logged-in user. An attacker would need to trick a user into opening a malicious PDF file to exploit this flaw, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, or malware installation.

Technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Adobe Acrobat Dc, Adobe Acrobat Reader Dc, Apple macOS, Microsoft Windows. Vendors: Adobe, Apple, Microsoft.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-81975 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-81975 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-81975?
High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 8 September 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-81975?
No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.
How is CVE-2026-81975 attacked?
It is attacked with local access.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-81975?
Check whether you run Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Adobe Acrobat Dc or one of the others listed. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

Technical details

The vulnerability is a use-after-free (CWE-416) memory corruption flaw in Acrobat Reader's PDF parsing logic. The defect allows an attacker to craft a malicious PDF file that triggers access to freed memory during processing, leading to memory corruption and potential arbitrary code execution in the context of the user running the application. Exploitation requires user interaction—specifically, opening a hostile PDF file—and does not require elevated privileges or network access. There is currently no known active exploitation in the wild. Patches from Adobe are expected via their APSB26-141 security advisory.

Affected products

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader

Timeline

  • 2026-09-08: disclosed

References

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