CVE-2018-4880

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

CVSS 3.06.5Medium EPSS percentile96th11% chance in 30 days CISA KEVNot listedNo confirmed exploitation
No public exploit known FixVendor fixNo build named by the sources

Published 2018-02-27Updated 2024-11-21Sources: CVE.org, NVD

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 2018.009.20050 and earlier versions, 2017.011.30070 and earlier versions, 2015.006.30394 and earlier versionsAffected: Adobe Acrobat Reader 2018.009.20050 and earlier versions, 2017.011.30070 and…Upgrade to: not statedStated by: CVE record
Adobe AcrobatAffected: ≥ 17.0, ≤ 17.011.30070Upgrade to: after 17.011.30070Stated by: NVD
Adobe Acrobat DcAffected: ≤ 18.009.20050Upgrade to: after 18.009.20050Stated by: NVD

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

Steps

Written by AI from the record

Check installed Adobe Acrobat Reader versions on computers that open PDF files.
Update affected installations using Adobe’s security update for CVE-2018-4880; the supplied findings do not specify an exact fixed version.
Until updated, tell staff not to open unexpected PDF files, especially files containing 3D content.

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

An issue was discovered in Adobe Acrobat Reader 2018.009.20050 and earlier versions, 2017.011.30070 and earlier versions, 2015.006.30394 and earlier versions. This vulnerability occurs as a result of computation that reads data that is past the end of the target buffer; the computation is part of the conversion module that reads U3D data. A successful attack can lead to sensitive data exposure.

In plain language

Written by AI from the record

Adobe Acrobat Reader 2018.009.20050 and earlier, 2017.011.30070 and earlier, and 2015.006.30394 and earlier can expose sensitive information when someone opens a booby-trapped 3D PDF; most small businesses should update it through their normal software-maintenance process.

CWE-125 out-of-bounds read in Acrobat Reader’s U3D conversion module permits sensitive-memory disclosure when a victim opens a crafted document containing U3D data.

If you're affected

Sensitive information exposure
Employee document data exposure
Privacy incident risk

What is it

This is a mistake in how Adobe Acrobat Reader handles certain 3D content inside a PDF. It is like a filing clerk being tricked into looking inside the wrong drawer, potentially revealing private information stored elsewhere on the computer.

Who is affected

This matters to you if staff use Adobe Acrobat Reader to open PDF files. An attacker would need to persuade a person to open a specially made file containing 3D data.

How urgent is it

No public exploit code is on record and CISA has not listed this issue as actively exploited, so this is a green, lower-priority update. Apply the vendor update through your normal maintenance process, with priority for computers that regularly open PDFs from outside the business.

What to do — in detail

Confirm exposure by inventorying Adobe Acrobat Reader installations and identifying systems on the affected release branches. The supplied remediation finding links to Adobe’s security bulletin but does not provide exact fixed version numbers; use Adobe’s current security update guidance for the applicable supported branch.

Test the update on representative systems if Reader is managed centrally, then deploy it to affected endpoints. If patching is delayed, limit opening untrusted PDFs and avoid PDFs with embedded 3D/U3D content where practical. No CISA KEV remediation due date applies because this CVE is not listed in KEV. Review endpoint and email-security alerts for suspicious PDF attachments or unexpected Reader crashes.

Technical context

CVSS v3.0 is 6.5 (Medium): AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N. The flaw is CWE-125, an out-of-bounds read in the U3D conversion module, enabling information disclosure from process memory through a crafted file. No public exploit code is recorded and the CVE is not in CISA KEV. EPSS is 10.8% (96th percentile) and rising; this is predictive scoring, not confirmed exploitation.

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

23 events over 3130 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 → lowepss band change
2026-08-31EPSS band change0 → moderateepss band change
2026-08-28EPSS band changemoderate → 0epss band change

Affected products

adobecommercial · USaka adobe systems inc.
- acrobat readerDesktop AppOn-premConsumer Software / productivity
- acrobat reader dcDesktop AppOn-premConsumer Software / productivity

And 3 more affected products. See all after sign-in

Technical detail

CVSS 3.0 vector

Open in the CVSS calculator

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

Scored 6.5 by NVD.

How it is reached

Attack Vector NetworkExploitable remotely over the network without any special conditions
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 NoneNo integrity impact
Availability NoneNo availability impact