Adobe Acrobat Reader Security Update causing issues with SAPGUI -

UPDATE 11/25/2020

Adobe released a new patch that solves the issue a few days ago:

20.013.20066 Adobe Acrobat / Reader update

SAP already confirmed in SAP Note 2992664 – SAP GUI crashes when used with Adobe Acrobat Professional DC or Adobe Acrobat Reader that this update fix the issue:

Original Post

I’m returning from the Gates of Oblivion since I have some news about a major bug related to the new Adobe Acrobat Reader November 2020 Security Update. It seems the new update have tons of issues when working with SAPGUI. For example, if you try to open a PDF file attached to a Purchase Order or Invoice in your SAP system the SAPGUI screen will turn dark gray and it will take long time to open the file. Sometimes it will even show the following error message:

Error message when opening attached PDF files in SAPGUI

The crash report will show the following access violation error in the AcroPDFImpl.dll file:

Faulting application name: saplogon.exe, version: 7600.1.2.1156, time stamp: 0x5d3e2ccb

Faulting module name: AcroPDFImpl.dll_unloaded, version: 20.13.20064.12623, time stamp: 0x5f91f8a9

Exception code: 0xc0000005

Fault offset: 0x000447ab

Faulting process id: 0x1c2c

Faulting application start time: 0x01d6b8fd018817a2

Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP\FrontEnd\SAPgui\saplogon.exe

Faulting module path: AcroPDFImpl.dll

Report Id: 3315dad4-6e9f-4d83-ba5a-3c1f852af351

Faulting package full name:

Faulting package-relative application ID:

Faulting application name: saplogon.exe, version: 7600.1.2.1156, time stamp: 0x5d3e2ccb

Faulting module name: AcroPDFImpl.dll_unloaded, version: 20.13.20064.12623, time stamp: 0x5f91f8a9

Exception code: 0xc0000005

Fault offset: 0x000447ab

Faulting process id: 0x1c2c

Faulting application start time: 0x01d6b8fd018817a2

Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP\FrontEnd\SAPgui\saplogon.exe

Faulting module path: AcroPDFImpl.dll

Report Id: 3315dad4-6e9f-4d83-ba5a-3c1f852af351

Faulting package full name:

Faulting package-relative application ID:

There are already some people complaining about this issue in Adobe forums:

SAP also released a new SAP note about this issue:

2992664 – SAP GUI crashes when used with Adobe Acrobat Professional DC or Adobe Acrobat Reader

Adobe is currently investigating the issue and they will release a patch as soon as possible. In the meantime your options are:

Revert back the changes and downgrade to the previous version that doesn’t have the November 2020 Security Update applied.
Use Adobe Acrobat Prod DC alongside with Acrobar Reader (good luck paying all those licenses).
Disable the Protected Mode either deploying a policy or manually in the Windows registry for each computer:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\AcrobatReader\DC\FeatureLockDownbProtectedMode = 0

1	Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\AcrobatReader\DC\FeatureLockDownbProtectedMode = 0

I can confirm that the first one works, I cannot confirm or deny about the last two as I didn’t fully test those workarounds. Hopefully Adobe will release a patch for fixing this issue soon, I know SAP is working with them as we speak 🙂 Stay safe out there!