CVE-2021-28620

Code execution via malicious file heap overflow

Published Aug 24, 2021 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe Animate 21.0.6 and earlier allows attackers to execute code when a user opens a malicious file. Adobe identifies the vulnerable operation only as heap memory corruption during malicious-file processing and does not publish the affected parser or malformed field. Execution occurs with the current user's privileges, requires local file opening and user interaction, and applies to the affected Windows release.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability5.80%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe Animate 21.0.6 and earlier allows attackers to execute code when a user opens a malicious file. Adobe identifies the vulnerable operation only as heap memory corruption during malicious-file processing and does not publish the affected parser or malformed field. Execution occurs with the current user's privileges, requires local file opening and user interaction, and applies to the affected Windows release.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28620
Published
Aug 24, 2021
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Animate
Classifications
CWE-122, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 24, 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

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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 <=21.0.6
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Animateversion=unspecified <=21.0.6; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

7.8AdobeCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.8NVDAV:N/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-122Heap-based Buffer Overflow
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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