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CVE-2021-28550

Adobe Acrobat Reader use after free vulnerability could lead to arbitrary code execution

  • Critical 9.6
  • Exploited: added to CISA KEV 3 Nov 2021

Description

Acrobat Reader DC versions versions 2021.001.20150 (and earlier), 2020.001.30020 (and earlier) and 2017.011.30194 (and earlier) are affected by a Use After Free 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.

Key facts

Published
2 Sep 2021
Last changed
21 Oct 2025
Assigned by
adobe
KEV added
3 Nov 2021
KEV fix due
17 Nov 2021
EPSS
52.132% likely to be exploited in the next 30 days, higher than 98.977% of CVEs (scores for 15 Nov 2026)
SSVC (CISA)
Exploitation: active; Automatable: no; Technical impact: total

Severity scores

Each score is shown as its source gave it. They are not averaged or merged.

  • 9.6CVSS 3.0, Criticalfrom the CNA (adobe)CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

What to do

  • Apply updates per vendor instructions.CISA KEV required action

Historical context and remediation

This reference retains the original CVE publication date. A recent record update does not mean a new attack occurred.

No separately sourced impact summary is available on this page yet. Consult the description, version data and dated exploitation evidence.

Version statuses below come from the CNA. An “unaffected” version is not necessarily a currently supported release or proof of a patch date. EPSS is a dated risk estimate, not a count of historical attacks.

Read the original CVE record.

Affected products

VendorProductVersions
AdobeAcrobat Reader
  • unspecified up to and including 2020.001.30020 (affected)
  • unspecified up to and including 2021.001.20150 (affected)
  • unspecified up to and including 2017.011.30194 (affected)
  • unspecified up to and including None (affected)

Timeline

  1. 2 Sep 2021 Published
  2. 3 Nov 2021 CVE-2021-28550 added to CISA KEV
  3. 3 Nov 2021 Added to the CISA KEV catalogue

Weakness

References