CVE-2021-40779

Code execution via malicious file out-of-bounds access

Published Mar 16, 2022 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Memory corruption in Adobe Media Encoder 15.4.1 and earlier allows context-dependent attackers to execute code via a malicious file. Adobe identifies access beyond the end of a memory buffer but has not published the affected parser, file format, or malformed field that triggers the access. Exploitation requires a user to open the file, and successful code runs with that user's privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability2.01%
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 Media Encoder 15.4.1 and earlier allows context-dependent attackers to execute code via a malicious file. Adobe identifies access beyond the end of a memory buffer but has not published the affected parser, file format, or malformed field that triggers the access. Exploitation requires a user to open the file, and successful code runs with that user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-40779
Published
Mar 16, 2022
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Media Encoder
Classifications
CWE-788, CWE-119, T1203, T1204.002
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 <=15.4.1
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Media Encoderversion=unspecified <=15.4.1; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

9.3NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.8Adobe Systems IncorporatedCVSS: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-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious 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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