CVE-2021-21078

Current-user code execution via CCXProcess search path

Published Mar 12, 2021 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Untrusted search path handling in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop 5.3 and earlier allows local users to execute code as the current user. CCXProcess invokes an executable through an unquoted path, allowing path resolution to select attacker-controlled code. Exploitation requires local high-privilege access and user interaction; successful code receives the current user's file and application permissions.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.08%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Untrusted search path handling in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop 5.3 and earlier allows local users to execute code as the current user. CCXProcess invokes an executable through an unquoted path, allowing path resolution to select attacker-controlled code. Exploitation requires local high-privilege access and user interaction; successful code receives the current user's file and application permissions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-21078
Published
Mar 12, 2021
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop
Classifications
CWE-426, T1574.009
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 12, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 23, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=5.3
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Creative Cloud Desktopversion=unspecified <=5.3; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

6.5AdobeCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-426Untrusted Search Path
T1574.009Path Interception by Unquoted Path

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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