CVE-2021-36952

Code execution via DDS heap buffer overflow

Published Sep 15, 2021 · Updated Aug 10, 2026

Out-of-bounds write in Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 and 2019 allows remote attackers to execute code through a crafted DDS file. The DDS parser copies crafted file data beyond a heap-buffer boundary, corrupting adjacent memory in the Visual Studio process. Exploitation requires the current user to visit a malicious page or open the file, after which code runs with that user's privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability51.18%
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 Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 and 2019 allows remote attackers to execute code through a crafted DDS file. The DDS parser copies crafted file data beyond a heap-buffer boundary, corrupting adjacent memory in the Visual Studio process. Exploitation requires the current user to visit a malicious page or open the file, after which code runs with that user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-36952
Published
Sep 15, 2021
Updated
Aug 10, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019
Classifications
CWE-787, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 15, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 10, 2026Record 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=16.0.0 <16.7.19
  2. Affected versionversion=16.0 <16.4.26

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Microsoft Visual Studio 2019version=16.0.0 <16.7.19; version=16.0 <16.4.26
Microsoft · Microsoft Visual Studio 2017version=15.9.0 <15.9.39

Published CVSS scores

6.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.0Trend Micro Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Microsoft CorporationCVSS: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-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

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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