CVE-2021-28596

Current-user code execution via PDF buffer overrun

Published Aug 23, 2021 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Out-of-bounds write in Adobe FrameMaker 2020.0.1 and earlier and 2019.0.8 and earlier allows attackers to execute code via a malicious PDF. FrameMaker's PDF parser fails to validate user-supplied data before writing to an allocated buffer, permitting a write past its end. Execution requires a user to open the crafted file and runs with the current user's privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability2.32%
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 FrameMaker 2020.0.1 and earlier and 2019.0.8 and earlier allows attackers to execute code via a malicious PDF. FrameMaker's PDF parser fails to validate user-supplied data before writing to an allocated buffer, permitting a write past its end. Execution requires a user to open the crafted file and runs with the current user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28596
Published
Aug 23, 2021
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe FrameMaker
Classifications
CWE-787, T1203, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 23, 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 <=2019.0.8
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=2020.0.1
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe FrameMakerversion=unspecified <=2019.0.8; version=unspecified <=2020.0.1; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

9.3NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.8Adobe Systems IncorporatedCVSS: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
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution
T1204.002Malicious 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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