CVE-2021-28581

Local privilege escalation via uncontrolled search path

Published Sep 8, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Uncontrolled search path in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop 5.3 and earlier allows local users to elevate privileges through CCLibrary.exe. Adobe has not disclosed which executable or library lookup accepts an attacker-controlled path or how the search order is manipulated. Exploitation requires the victim to log on to the attacker's local machine, after which code runs with the victim's privileges.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.86%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled search path in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop 5.3 and earlier allows local users to elevate privileges through CCLibrary.exe. Adobe has not disclosed which executable or library lookup accepts an attacker-controlled path or how the search order is manipulated. Exploitation requires the victim to log on to the attacker's local machine, after which code runs with the victim's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28581
Published
Sep 8, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 8, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 2024Record 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 privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

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

Published CVSS scores

7.3Adobe Systems IncorporatedCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.4NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
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

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Your stack

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