CVE-2021-36017

Code execution via malformed PDF processing

Published Sep 2, 2021 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Memory corruption in Adobe After Effects 18.2.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code through a crafted PDF file. The PDF-processing path fails to validate user-supplied data before accessing memory beyond a buffer, corrupting process memory. Execution requires the current user to open the file, and resulting code runs with that user's privileges in the After Effects process.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
EPSS probability2.30%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory corruption in Adobe After Effects 18.2.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code through a crafted PDF file. The PDF-processing path fails to validate user-supplied data before accessing memory beyond a buffer, corrupting process memory. Execution requires the current user to open the file, and resulting code runs with that user's privileges in the After Effects process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-36017
Published
Sep 2, 2021
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
After Effects
Classifications
CWE-788, CWE-787, T1203, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 2, 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 <=18.2.1
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · After Effectsversion=unspecified <=18.2.1; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

9.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.8AdobeCVSS: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 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-788Access of Memory Location After End of Buffer
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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