CVE-2021-21090Network attack vector

Current-user code execution via unchecked DOCX paths

Published Jun 28, 2021 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Path traversal in Adobe InCopy 16.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code as the current user through a crafted DOCX file. During DOCX conversion, the parser uses a user-supplied path in file operations without first validating that it remains in an allowed directory. Exploitation requires the victim to open the malicious file or visit a malicious page, and the resulting code runs with that user's privileges.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability5.37%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in Adobe InCopy 16.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code as the current user through a crafted DOCX file. During DOCX conversion, the parser uses a user-supplied path in file operations without first validating that it remains in an allowed directory. Exploitation requires the victim to open the malicious file or visit a malicious page, and the resulting code runs with that user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-21090
Published
Jun 28, 2021
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
InCopy
Classifications
CWE-22, T1204.002, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 28, 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 <=16.0
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · InCopyversion=unspecified <=16.0; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

9.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.8Adobe Systems IncorporatedCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Trend Micro Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

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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