CVE-2021-44712

Application DoS via out-of-bounds buffer access

Published Jan 14, 2022 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Improper input validation in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC 21.007.20099 and earlier allows attackers to cause application denial-of-service via a malicious file. The Reader's file-processing code accesses memory beyond the end of a buffer when handling crafted input, and Adobe has not published a more specific function or parser locus. Exploitation requires a victim to open the file, so the bounded consequence is interruption of the Reader process rather than remote compromise.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability2.17%
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

Improper input validation in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC 21.007.20099 and earlier allows attackers to cause application denial-of-service via a malicious file. The Reader's file-processing code accesses memory beyond the end of a buffer when handling crafted input, and Adobe has not published a more specific function or parser locus. Exploitation requires a victim to open the file, so the bounded consequence is interruption of the Reader process rather than remote compromise.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-44712
Published
Jan 14, 2022
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Classifications
CWE-788, CWE-20, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record 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 <=17.011.30204
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=20.004.30017
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=21.007.20099
  4. Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Adobe · Adobe Acrobat Readerversion=unspecified <=17.011.30204; version=unspecified <=20.004.30017; version=unspecified <=21.007.20099; version=unspecified <=None

Published CVSS scores

4.4AdobeCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-788Access of Memory Location After End of Buffer
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
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

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