Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This vulnerability affects older Adobe Photoshop versions. A malicious file could trigger a memory parsing flaw and let an attacker run code as the signed-in user if the victim opens it. Business risk is highest where staff receive untrusted image or design files.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority for exposed creative workstations. The flaw requires user action, but the impact is full compromise in the user's context, making phishing or file-sharing workflows the practical concern.
Technical view
CVE-2021-21049 is a CWE-125 out-of-bounds read in Adobe Photoshop file parsing. The CVSS 3.0 score is 7.8 with local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, and required user interaction. Successful exploitation may allow arbitrary code execution in the current user's context.
Likely exposure
Systems running Photoshop 21.2.4 or earlier, or 22.1.1 or earlier, are the stated exposure. Risk concentrates on creative, marketing, and support workflows that open externally supplied files.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. Exploitation requires user interaction: a victim must open a specially crafted malicious file. The attacker does not need authentication, but code execution is limited to the current user's context.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports affected product, affected version thresholds, CWE-125 classification, CVSS 7.8, and user-interaction requirement. The bundle does not provide exploit availability, active exploitation, or exact fixed build details beyond the Adobe advisory reference.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Adobe Photoshop installations and identify affected version ranges.
- Check Adobe APSB21-10 for the vendor-designated fixed versions and update path.
- Prioritize users who regularly open files from external parties.
- Limit opening untrusted Photoshop or image files until updated.
- Use endpoint controls to reduce impact from user-context code execution.
Validation and detection
- Confirm installed Photoshop versions are not within the affected ranges.
- Verify patch status against Adobe APSB21-10 guidance.
- Review endpoint inventory for unmanaged Photoshop installations.
- Check security telemetry for unusual Photoshop-launched processes.
- Document compensating controls for systems that cannot be updated promptly.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-125: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-21049 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/photoshop/apsb21-10.htmlCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Out-of-bounds Read
Out-of-bounds Read represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.