CVE-2021-40729Public exploit

Memory disclosure via malformed PDF color operands

Published Oct 15, 2021 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Out-of-bounds read in Adobe Acrobat Reader 21.007.20096 and earlier allows attackers to disclose memory via a crafted PDF. Solid Framework's CPdfColorSpace::SetCurrentColorIndirect trusts an ICCBased component count and reads three doubles from an eight-byte heap buffer holding one SC operand. A victim must open the file; the demonstrated proof of concept also exports it to Microsoft Word, crashing the application and exposing adjacent heap memory that can weaken ASLR.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability4.28%
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 read in Adobe Acrobat Reader 21.007.20096 and earlier allows attackers to disclose memory via a crafted PDF. Solid Framework's CPdfColorSpace::SetCurrentColorIndirect trusts an ICCBased component count and reads three doubles from an eight-byte heap buffer holding one SC operand. A victim must open the file; the demonstrated proof of concept also exports it to Microsoft Word, crashing the application and exposing adjacent heap memory that can weaken ASLR.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-40729
Published
Oct 15, 2021
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Classifications
CWE-125, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 15, 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

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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 <=17.011.30202
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=20.004.30015
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=21.007.20095
  4. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=21.007.20096

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Acrobat Readerversion=unspecified <=17.011.30202; version=unspecified <=20.004.30015; version=unspecified <=21.007.20095; version=unspecified <=21.007.20096

Published CVSS scores

3.3Adobe Systems IncorporatedCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
4.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-125Out-of-bounds Read
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

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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