CVE-2021-28633

Arbitrary file overwrite via insecure temporary file

Published Aug 24, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Insecure temporary file creation in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop installer 2.4 and earlier allows attackers to overwrite arbitrary files via physical access. The installer creates temporary files with incorrect permissions, permitting an attacker to replace files during installation in the current user's context. Exploitation requires physical interaction and high privileges, and the documented consequence is arbitrary file system modification rather than remote compromise.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.49%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Insecure temporary file creation in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop installer 2.4 and earlier allows attackers to overwrite arbitrary files via physical access. The installer creates temporary files with incorrect permissions, permitting an attacker to replace files during installation in the current user's context. Exploitation requires physical interaction and high privileges, and the documented consequence is arbitrary file system modification rather than remote compromise.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28633
Published
Aug 24, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop
Classifications
CWE-379, T1565.001
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 24, 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 <=2.4
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Creative Cloud Desktopversion=unspecified <=2.4; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

6.5AdobeCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/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)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-379Creation of Temporary File in Directory with Incorrect Permissions
T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

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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