CVE-2021-28586

Code execution via embedded-font buffer overrun

Published Jun 28, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Out-of-bounds write in Adobe After Effects 18.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code by opening a malicious PDF file. The embedded-font parser fails to validate file-supplied data before writing past the end of an allocated buffer. A victim must open the crafted PDF, after which attacker-controlled code runs in the After Effects process with the current user’s privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability3.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds write in Adobe After Effects 18.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code by opening a malicious PDF file. The embedded-font parser fails to validate file-supplied data before writing past the end of an allocated buffer. A victim must open the crafted PDF, after which attacker-controlled code runs in the After Effects process with the current user’s privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28586
Published
Jun 28, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Adobe
Product
After Effects
Classifications
CWE-787, T1204.002, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 28, 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

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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 <=18.0
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · After Effectsversion=unspecified <=18.0; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
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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