CVE-2021-29096

Code execution via freed PMF pointer reuse

Published Mar 25, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Use-after-free in Esri ArcReader, ArcGIS Desktop, and ArcGIS Engine 10.8.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code via a crafted PMF file. The PMF parser reuses a pointer after freeing its referenced object when it processes crafted file data. Exploitation requires the current user to open the file or visit a malicious page, after which code runs in the current process context.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability1.52%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Esri ArcReader, ArcGIS Desktop, and ArcGIS Engine 10.8.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code via a crafted PMF file. The PMF parser reuses a pointer after freeing its referenced object when it processes crafted file data. Exploitation requires the current user to open the file or visit a malicious page, after which code runs in the current process context.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-29096
Published
Mar 25, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Esri
Product
ArcGIS Engine Background Geoprocessing
Classifications
CWE-416, T1203, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 25, 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=All <10.9.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Esri · ArcGIS Engine Background Geoprocessingversion=All <10.9.0
Esri · ArcReaderversion=All <10.9.0
Esri · ArcGIS Desktopversion=All <10.9.0
Esri · ArcGIS Engineversion=All <10.9.0
Esri · ArcGIS Desktop Background Geoprocessingversion=All <10.9.0

Published CVSS scores

7.8EsriCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.8NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.8EsriCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

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-416Use After Free
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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