CVE-2021-21105Network attack vector

Current-user code execution via crafted file parsing

Published Sep 8, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Memory corruption in Adobe Illustrator 25.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code as the current user via a crafted file. Adobe identifies crafted-file parsing as the affected operation but has not disclosed the parser, file format, or invalid memory operation. Exploitation requires a user to open the malicious file, after which attacker-supplied code runs with that user's privileges.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability5.92%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory corruption in Adobe Illustrator 25.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code as the current user via a crafted file. Adobe identifies crafted-file parsing as the affected operation but has not disclosed the parser, file format, or invalid memory operation. Exploitation requires a user to open the malicious file, after which attacker-supplied code runs with that user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-21105
Published
Sep 8, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Illustrator
Classifications
CWE-788, T1203, T1204.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 8, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=25.2
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Illustratorversion=unspecified <=25.2; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

9.3NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.8AdobeCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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-788Access of Memory Location After End of Buffer
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

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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