How severe is CVE-2017-16406?

CVE-2017-16406 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-16406 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 7% (93rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-16406?

CVE-2017-16406 primarily affects Adobe Acrobat. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-16406?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2017-16406 published?

CVE-2017-16406 was published on 2017-12-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-16406

CVE-2017-16406 is a high-severity vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-125.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 9.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 7% (93rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-125
Affected product: Adobe Acrobat
Published: 2017-12-09
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in Adobe Acrobat and Reader: 2017.012.20098 and earlier versions, 2017.011.30066 and earlier versions, 2015.006.30355 and earlier versions, and 11.0.22 and earlier versions. This vulnerability is an instance of a type confusion vulnerability in the EMF processing module. The issue causes the program to access an object using an incompatible type, leading to an out of bounds memory access. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by using the out of bounds access for unintended reads, writes, or frees -- potentially leading to code corruption, control-flow hijack, or information leak attack.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-16406?: An issue was discovered in Adobe Acrobat and Reader: 2017.012.20098 and earlier versions, 2017.011.30066 and earlier versions, 2015.006.30355 and earlier versions, and 11.0.22 and earlier versions. This vulnerability is an instance of a type confusion vulnerability in the EMF processing module. The issue causes the program to access an object using an incompatible type, leading to an out of bounds memory access. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by using the out of bounds access for unintended reads, writes, or frees -- potentially leading to code corruption, control-flow hijack, or information leak attack.
How severe is CVE-2017-16406?: CVE-2017-16406 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-16406 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 7% (93rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-16406?: CVE-2017-16406 primarily affects Adobe Acrobat. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-16406?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2017-16406 published?: CVE-2017-16406 was published on 2017-12-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (6)

cpe:2.3:a:adobe:acrobat:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:acrobat_dc:*:*:*:*:continuous:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:acrobat_dc:*:*:*:*:classic:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:acrobat_reader:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:acrobat_reader_dc:*:*:*:*:continuous:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:adobe:acrobat_reader_dc:*:*:*:*:classic:*:*:*

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