CVE-2020-9695 Adobe CVE debrief

Who should care

Organizations and individuals using Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 2020.009.20074, 2020.001.30002, 2017.011.30171, 2015.006.30523, and earlier should be aware of this vulnerability. This includes users of Adobe Acrobat DC, Acrobat Reader DC, and Acrobat Reader. IT teams and cybersecurity professionals responsible for patch management and vulnerability remediation should prioritize this CVE.

Technical summary

The CVE-2020-9695 vulnerability is an out-of-bounds write issue in Adobe Acrobat Reader. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program writes data to a memory location outside the bounds of a buffer, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution. In this case, the vulnerability requires user interaction, as the victim must open a malicious file. The affected products include Adobe Acrobat DC, Acrobat Reader DC, and Acrobat Reader. The CVSS vector for this vulnerability is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, indicating a high severity.

Defensive priority

Apply patches or updates provided by Adobe to vulnerable versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Ensure that users do not open malicious files, and implement robust email and web filtering to prevent the delivery of malicious files.

Recommended defensive actions

• Apply patches or updates provided by Adobe to vulnerable versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Ensure that users do not open malicious files, and implement robust email and web filtering to prevent the delivery of malicious files.
• Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify potential vulnerabilities.
• Implement a robust incident response plan to quickly respond to potential security incidents.
• Provide user education and awareness training on safe computing practices, including not opening suspicious files.

Evidence notes

The CVE-2020-9695 vulnerability is documented in the official CVE record and the NVD detail page. Adobe has provided a vendor advisory for this vulnerability. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader and DC.

Official resources