CVE-2021-21017
Adobe Acrobat and Reader Heap-based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 17 November 2021). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
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.
- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 86.33% probability · 100th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Listed 3 November 2021 · due 17 November 2021
- Weakness
- CWE-122, CWE-787
- Affected
- adobe/acrobat · adobe/acrobat dc · adobe/acrobat reader · adobe/acrobat reader dc
- Source
- psirt@adobe.com
EPSS 86.3% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
CISA notes
Apply updates per vendor instructions. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21017
References
- https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb21-09.htmlVendor Advisory
- https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb21-09.htmlVendor Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-21017Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.