CVE-2021-28570Network attack vector

System code execution via planted binary loading

Published Jun 28, 2021 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Uncontrolled search path handling in Adobe After Effects 18.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code with System permissions. Adobe states that an attacker can plant a custom binary for the application to load, but does not identify the binary, search path, or triggering workflow. Exploitation requires user interaction on an affected Windows system; successful code runs with System permissions.

CVSS severity8.3
High
EPSS probability2.42%
Next 30 days · Sep 17, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled search path handling in Adobe After Effects 18.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code with System permissions. Adobe states that an attacker can plant a custom binary for the application to load, but does not identify the binary, search path, or triggering workflow. Exploitation requires user interaction on an affected Windows system; successful code runs with System permissions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28570
Published
Jun 28, 2021
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
After Effects
Classifications
CWE-427, CAPEC-471, CAPEC-38, T1574
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

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 <=18.1
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · After Effectsversion=unspecified <=18.1; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

8.3Adobe Systems IncorporatedCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.6NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CAPEC-471Search Order Hijacking
CAPEC-38Leveraging/Manipulating Configuration File Search Paths
T1574Hijack Execution Flow

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo