CVE-2008-2992
CVE-2008-2992 is a security flaw in Adobe Acrobat and Reader, Adobe’s software for opening and editing PDFs. Attackers can run their own code on Adobe Acrobat and Reader. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 3 Mar 2022, and says ransomware gangs have used it.[1]
Adobe Acrobat and Reader is in things households have, such as phones, computers, browsers and everyday apps, so the fix matters at home as much as at work.
Description
CISA calls it a reader and acrobat input validation in Adobe Acrobat and Reader. In its words: “Adobe Acrobat and Reader contain an input validation issue in a JavaScript method that could potentially lead to remote code execution.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “Stack-based buffer overflow in Adobe Acrobat and Reader 8.1.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a PDF file that calls the util.printf JavaScript function with a crafted format string argument, a related issue to CVE-2008-1104.”[2]
The underlying weakness is memory buffer error (CWE-119), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 7.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it. CISA names the product as Adobe Acrobat and Reader.
Every device with Adobe Acrobat and Reader needs the update.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 3 Mar 2022, 4,867 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 24 Mar 2022 to fix it.[1] CISA says ransomware gangs have used it.
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at over 99%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[3]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Update Adobe Acrobat and Reader now.Install the latest update from Adobe on every device that has it, and restart when asked. Then turn on automatic updates, so the next fix arrives on its own.
- If there’s no update, stop using it.CISA’s advice when a flaw being used in attacks has no fix is to stop using the product until it does.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 7.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks, noting that ransomware gangs have used it.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at over 99%.[3] |
See also
Other Adobe Acrobat and Reader flaws
- CVE-2009-3459: heap-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2026-34621: prototype pollution ·
- CVE-2023-21608: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2023-26369: out-of-bounds write ·
- CVE-2018-4990: double free ·
- CVE-2010-2883: stack-based buffer overflow ·
Other Adobe flaws
- CVE-2026-48356, Adobe Commerce and Magento: unrestricted upload of file with dangerous type ·
- CVE-2026-71362, Adobe Commerce and Magento: incorrect authorization ·
- CVE-2026-75650, Adobe Commerce and Magento: improper neutralization of special elements used in a template engine ·
- CVE-2026-48282, Adobe ColdFusion: path traversal ·
- CVE-2020-9715, Adobe Acrobat: use-after-free ·
Other memory buffer error flaws
- CVE-2026-88779, Citrix NetScaler: improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer ·
- CVE-2026-88772, Citrix NetScaler: improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer ·
- CVE-2026-88771, Citrix NetScaler: improper input validation ·
- CVE-2026-8452, Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway: improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer ·
- CVE-2025-31277, Apple devices: buffer overflow ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2022-20708, Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers: small business RV series routers stack-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2022-20703, Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers: small business RV series routers stack-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2022-20701, Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers: small business RV series routers stack-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2022-20700, Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers: small business RV series routers stack-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2022-20699, Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers: small business RV series routers stack-based buffer overflow ·
Every Adobe flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in March 2022
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Adobe Reader and Acrobat Input Validation Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 3 Mar 2022.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2008-2992 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 4 Nov 2008.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.998, percentile 100.0, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2008-2992”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.