CVE-2017-16361
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn 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 security bypass vulnerability when handling XFDF files.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceSecurity bypass vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat and Reader when parsing XFDF (XML Forms Data Format) files. The vulnerability allows attackers to potentially bypass security restrictions through specially crafted XFDF files.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 11.0.22>= 17.0, <= 17.011.30066>= -, <= 17.012.20098>= 15.0, <= 15.006.30355<= 11.0.22>= 17.0, <= 17.011.30066>= -, <= 17.012.20098>= 15.0, <= 15.006.30355CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed Adobe productCheck if Adobe Acrobat or Reader is installed by looking in Windows Programs and Features, or checking registry keys under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat or HKLM\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Adobe ReaderAffected if Neither Acrobat nor Reader is installed, then not affected
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Determine product variantDistinguish between Classic (traditional) and DC (Document Cloud) versions by checking the product name in Programs and Features or the registry key pathAffected if The variant cannot be determined, skip to version check
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Get installed version numberRight-click the application executable (AcroRd32.exe or AcroTray.exe) in Program Files, select Properties, and read the File Version on the Details tab; or open the application, go to Help > About Adobe Reader/AcrobatAffected if Unable to retrieve version number, status unknown
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Compare version against vulnerable rangesMatch your installed version to the affected ranges: Classic versions 11.0.22 and below, 17.0 through 17.011.30066; DC versions 15.0 through 15.006.30355 and up to 17.012.20098Affected if Installed version falls within any of these ranges: <= 11.0.22, 17.0-17.011.30066, 15.0-15.006.30355, or <= 17.012.20098 (for DC)
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Verify XFDF handling is in useCheck if the application has ever opened or processes XFDF files; this is typically an operational context check rather than a configuration settingAffected if XFDF files are never opened or processed, practical risk is minimal even on vulnerable versions
The environment is affected if Adobe Acrobat or Reader is installed with a version number matching one of the vulnerable ranges AND the application handles XFDF files.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataApply the appropriate Adobe security update for the installed version of Acrobat or Reader. Verify that systems are running versions later than the vulnerable releases listed (2017.012.20099+, 2017.011.30067+, 2015.006.30356+, 11.0.23+).
- Consultation1.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-16361 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2017-16361 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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