CVE-2021-40768

Application crash via crafted-file null dereference

Published Mar 16, 2022 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Null pointer dereference in Adobe Character Animator 4.4 and earlier allows attackers to crash the application via a crafted file. Adobe has not disclosed the exact parser or malformed file element that causes the null pointer dereference. A victim must open the malicious file, and the resulting denial of service is confined to the application running as the current user.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Null pointer dereference in Adobe Character Animator 4.4 and earlier allows attackers to crash the application via a crafted file. Adobe has not disclosed the exact parser or malformed file element that causes the null pointer dereference. A victim must open the malicious file, and the resulting denial of service is confined to the application running as the current user.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-40768
Published
Mar 16, 2022
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Character Animator
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 16, 2022CVE 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 <=4.4
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Character Animatorversion=unspecified <=4.4; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

4.3NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
5.5Adobe Systems IncorporatedCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo