CVE-2021-45060

Code execution via embedded-font out-of-bounds read

Published Jan 14, 2022 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Out-of-bounds read in Adobe Acrobat Reader affected releases allows attackers to execute code through a crafted file. Embedded-font processing fails to validate attacker-controlled data before reading past the end of an allocated buffer. User interaction is required: a victim must visit a malicious page or open the file, and affected branches are 21.007.20099 and earlier, 20.004.30017 and earlier, and 17.011.30204 and earlier.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability8.62%
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 affected releases allows attackers to execute code through a crafted file. Embedded-font processing fails to validate attacker-controlled data before reading past the end of an allocated buffer. User interaction is required: a victim must visit a malicious page or open the file, and affected branches are 21.007.20099 and earlier, 20.004.30017 and earlier, and 17.011.30204 and earlier.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-45060
Published
Jan 14, 2022
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Adobe
Product
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Classifications
CWE-125, T1203, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 2024Record 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 <=17.011.30204
  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

7.8AdobeCVSS:3.0/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-125Out-of-bounds Read
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution
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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