CVE-2020-24433 : Security Advisory and Response

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC versions 2020.012.20048 (and earlier), 2020.001.30005 (and earlier), and 2017.011.30175 (and earlier) are affected by a local privilege escalation vulnerability that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM.

Understanding CVE-2020-24433

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Local Privilege Escalation via Installer Component

What is CVE-2020-24433?

CVE-2020-24433 is a vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC that enables a user without administrator privileges to delete arbitrary files and potentially execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM.

The Impact of CVE-2020-24433

CVSS Base Score: 7.8 (High)
Attack Vector: Local
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Exploitation requires social engineering or existing access to the environment.
Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability Impact: High

Technical Details of CVE-2020-24433

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Local Privilege Escalation via Installer Component

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows a non-administrator user to delete arbitrary files and potentially execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM.

Affected Systems and Versions

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC versions 2020.012.20048 and earlier
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC versions 2020.001.30005 and earlier
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC versions 2017.011.30175 and earlier

Exploitation Mechanism

Attacker must socially engineer a victim or have existing access to the environment.

Mitigation and Prevention

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Local Privilege Escalation via Installer Component

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Adobe Acrobat Reader DC to the latest version.
Be cautious of social engineering attempts.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement the principle of least privilege to limit user access.

Patching and Updates

Adobe has released security updates to address this vulnerability.