CVE-2021-39835Network attack vector

File disclosure via freed PDF object access

Published Sep 29, 2021 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Use-after-free in PDF processing in Adobe FrameMaker 2019 Update 8 and earlier and 2020 Update 2 and earlier allows remote attackers to read files. When a user opens a malformed PDF, the parser accesses an object after its memory has been freed, exposing file-system data through the corrupted processing path. Exploitation requires the victim to open the crafted document; Adobe reports arbitrary file-system read without integrity or availability impact.

CVSS severity4.3
Medium
EPSS probability1.54%
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 PDF processing in Adobe FrameMaker 2019 Update 8 and earlier and 2020 Update 2 and earlier allows remote attackers to read files. When a user opens a malformed PDF, the parser accesses an object after its memory has been freed, exposing file-system data through the corrupted processing path. Exploitation requires the victim to open the crafted document; Adobe reports arbitrary file-system read without integrity or availability impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-39835
Published
Sep 29, 2021
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe FrameMaker
Classifications
CWE-416, T1204.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 29, 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 <=2019.8
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=2020.2
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe FrameMakerversion=unspecified <=2019.8; version=unspecified <=2020.2; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

4.3AdobeCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
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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