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CVE-2021-21017

Acrobat Reader DC Heap-based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability Could Lead To Arbitrary Code Execution

HIGH
8.8
CVSS Score
Published: February 11, 2021 at 07:42 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 03:34 AM UTC
3 products affected across 1 vendorAcrobat ReaderAcrobatAcrobat DC· also runs on 2 platforms

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Severity
HIGH8.8
Exploitation
CISA KEV
Exploit prediction
EPSS 86%
SSVC
Active

Actively Exploited

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog

EPSS Score86.3%

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) estimates a 86.3% chance this CVE is exploited in the wild within the next 30 days — higher than 100% of all CVEs. It complements CVSS: a high EPSS on a mid-severity CVE can still be urgent.

Acrobat Acrobat and Reader contain a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability that could allow an unauthenticated attacker to achieve code execution in the context of the current user.

Required Action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Ransomware Use
Unknown
Added to KEV
Nov 3, 2021
Remediation Due
Nov 17, 2021
1810 days overdue
Notes
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21017

Description

Acrobat Reader DC versions versions 2020.013.20074 (and earlier), 2020.001.30018 (and earlier) and 2017.011.30188 (and earlier) are affected by a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Acrobat· Adobe
95%
17.0 ≤ v ≤ 17.011.3018820.0 ≤ v ≤ 20.001.30018
apple-macos (environment) · microsoft-windows (environment)
Acrobat DC· Adobe
95%
v ≤ 20.013.20074
apple-macos (environment) · microsoft-windows (environment)
Acrobat Reader· Adobe
95%
v ≤ 2017.011.30188v ≤ 2020.001.30018v ≤ 2020.013.2007417.0 ≤ v ≤ 17.011.3018820.0 ≤ v ≤ 20.001.300183
apple-macos (environment) · microsoft-windows (environment)

Runs on — not affected

The affected product only carries this flaw when running on these platforms. The platforms themselves are not vulnerable.

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

Patch and advisory references

References (2)

x_refsource_MISCVendor Advisory
Source: [email protected]
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb21-09.html
Third Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource
Source: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-21017

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCActiveNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

8.8HIGHadobe
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-122CWE-787

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