CVE-2017-2959

Exploitation likely. EPSS gives it a 11% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. A vendor fix is available.

CVSS 3.07.8High EPSS percentile96th11% chance in 30 days CISA KEVNot listedNo confirmed exploitation
No public exploit known FixVendor fixNo build named by the sources

Published 2017-01-11Updated 2026-05-06Sources: CVE.org, NVD, BDU

NVD CVE.org

What to do

The vendor has published a fix. Version details are below where the sources state them.

n/a Adobe Acrobat Reader 15.020.20042 and earlier, 15.006.30244 and earlier, 11.0.18 and earlier.Affected: Adobe Acrobat Reader 15.020.20042 and earlier, 15.006.30244 and earlier,…Upgrade to: not statedStated by: CVE record
Adobe AcrobatAffected: ≤ 11.0.18Upgrade to: after 11.0.18Stated by: NVD
Adobe Acrobat DcAffected: ≤ 15.006.30244Upgrade to: after 15.006.30244Stated by: NVD
Adobe ReaderAffected: ≤ 11.0.18Upgrade to: after 11.0.18Stated by: NVD
Adobe Systems Inc. Acrobat ReaderAffected: до 11.0.18 включительноUpgrade to: not statedStated by: BDU

Versions as the sources state them. Full version matrix after sign-in

Steps

Written by AI from the record

Check each workstation where Adobe Acrobat Reader (and any Adobe Acrobat/Reader variants) is installed and note the exact version number.
Compare the installed version to the vulnerable ranges (15.020.20042 and earlier, 15.006.30244 and earlier, 11.0.18 and earlier).
Upgrade Adobe Acrobat Reader to the vendor-patched release using Adobe’s security guidance for APSB17-01.
After updating, repeat the version check to confirm every machine is on the fixed version.

Vendor advisory Some work to apply

Check it yourselfA free OpenVAS check exists for this CVE. Run it against your hosts.Is your organisation exposed?Request an assessment to establish which checks fit your systems.

What it is

From the CVE record

Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 15.020.20042 and earlier, 15.006.30244 and earlier, 11.0.18 and earlier have an exploitable heap overflow vulnerability in the image conversion engine, related to parsing of color profile metadata. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.

In plain language

Written by AI from the record

CVE-2017-2959 is a bug in older Adobe Acrobat Reader versions that can be triggered by a specially crafted PDF to crash or potentially run malicious code—if your business uses outdated Acrobat Reader, you should update it.

CVE-2017-2959 is an exploitable heap overflow in Adobe Acrobat Reader’s image conversion engine when parsing color profile metadata, where a malicious PDF can cause arbitrary code execution under vulnerable, reachable conditions.

If you're affected

Malware execution on your PC
Business disruption via crashes
Compromise of files and data

What is it

Think of Adobe Acrobat Reader as a “PDF translator.” This bug is like a weakness in the translator’s handling of a particular color setting inside a PDF—if someone sends a specially made PDF, it can potentially lead to malware taking over the computer, or at minimum cause the app to crash.

Who is affected

This matters if you have older Adobe Acrobat Reader (and related Acrobat/Reader installs) on computers used by your staff, especially where you open PDFs from email or the internet. The risk is mainly when a user opens a malicious, specially crafted PDF in a vulnerable version—so it’s not about internet browsing alone, but about the software being reachable for PDF opening by users.

How urgent is it

This is an AMBER issue: it’s a serious memory-corruption bug, and the expected likelihood is rising. While there’s no KEV listing or public exploit code on record here, you should still prioritize upgrading older Acrobat Reader versions promptly because the attack can work through a crafted PDF opened by a user.

What to do — in detail

Inventory and confirm versions
- On each device where employees open PDFs, capture the exact Adobe Acrobat Reader version (and any installed Acrobat/Reader applications).
- Mark devices running versions in these vulnerable ranges:
  - 15.020.20042 and earlier
  - 15.006.30244 and earlier
  - 11.0.18 and earlier
Remediate (upgrade)
- Update Adobe Acrobat Reader to a vendor-patched version following Adobe’s security bulletin APSB17-01.
- Use Adobe’s remediation guidance referenced in the findings: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb17-01.html
Validate
- After updating, re-check the installed version number on every machine.
- Confirm that all previously vulnerable installations are no longer in the vulnerable ranges.
If you cannot patch immediately (temporary reduction)
- Restrict users’ ability to open PDFs from untrusted sources until updates are applied.
- Where possible, ensure only trusted PDFs are opened (for example, from known internal systems or vetted partners).
- This does not replace patching, but it reduces the chance someone opens a malicious PDF.
What to monitor
- Watch for unusual crashes or unexpected application behavior in Acrobat Reader shortly after PDF opening.
- If you have endpoint protection, confirm whether it flags suspicious activity around Acrobat Reader executions.

Technical context

Severity is HIGH (CVSS 7.8). The weakness is CWE-119 (heap overflow). The likely attack vector is a malicious PDF that triggers the bug in Acrobat Reader’s image conversion engine by parsing color profile metadata; successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution. Findings indicate no KEV listing (not in CISA KEV) and no public exploit code on record. EPSS is a prediction (11.5% with a rising trend), but it is not a confirmation of real-world exploitation. Patch guidance is available via Adobe’s APSB17-01 remediation links. Exploit maturity appears limited in this dataset (no public exploit code noted), but the issue is still actionable because it’s a memory-corruption flaw in widely used software.

This is a general assessment based on public vulnerability data. It does not account for your specific infrastructure — when in doubt, consult a security specialist.

Exploitation

Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.

EPSS96th

CISA KEV

Not in the catalog. CISA has not confirmed exploitation.

Public exploits

No public exploit or proof of concept found in the sources we track.

EPSS

11% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 96th percentile of scored CVEs.

Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.

Lifecycle

24 events over 3542 days, from the signal feeds we watch.

2026-09-23EPSS band changelow → moderateepss band change
2026-09-21EPSS band changemoderate → 0epss band change
2026-09-06EPSS band change0 → moderateepss band change
2026-09-05EPSS band changemoderate → 0epss band change
2026-08-31EPSS band change0 → moderateepss band change
2026-08-29EPSS band changemoderate → low

Affected products

Adobe Systems Inc.commercial · USaka adobe
- Acrobat ReaderConsumer Software
- Adobe Reader Document CloudDesktop AppOn-premConsumer Software / productivity
- Adobe Acrobat Document CloudDesktop AppOn-premConsumer Software / productivity
- readerConsumer Software

And 5 more affected products. See all after sign-in

Technical detail

CVSS 3.0 vector

Open in the CVSS calculator

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Scored 7.8 by NVD.

How it is reached

Attack Vector LocalRequires local access to the vulnerable system (e.g. local login, malicious file)
Attack Complexity LowNo special conditions — the attack can be reliably reproduced
Privileges Required NoneNo authentication required — anyone can exploit this
User Interaction RequiredA user must click a link, open a file, or perform some action

Scope

Scope UnchangedImpact is limited to the vulnerable component itself

Impact if exploited

Confidentiality HighTotal information disclosure — all data in the component is compromised
Integrity HighTotal loss of integrity — attacker can modify any data in the component
Availability HighTotal denial of service — the component is completely unavailable