Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-21105 is a high-severity Adobe Illustrator flaw. A malicious file can trigger memory corruption and may let an attacker run code as the person who opens it. The main business risk is compromise of designer workstations or shared creative systems through untrusted files.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for design teams and any users handling external creative files. The issue can lead to code execution, but requires file opening.
Technical view
Adobe Illustrator 25.2 and earlier are affected by a memory corruption issue when parsing a specially crafted file. The CVSS 3.1 score is 8.8 with network attack vector, no privileges required, user interaction required, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Organizations with Adobe Illustrator 25.2 or earlier installed are the relevant exposure group, especially users who receive external design files.
Exploitation context
The sources do not show CISA KEV listing or cited active exploitation. Exploitation requires user interaction: a victim must open a malicious file.
Researcher notes
This is CWE-788 memory corruption in Illustrator file parsing. Evidence supports RCE in the current user context, not privilege escalation or wormable behavior.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Adobe Illustrator installations and identify versions 25.2 or earlier.
- Review Adobe APSB21-24 and apply the vendor-provided Illustrator update.
- Restrict handling of unexpected Illustrator files from untrusted senders.
- Use email and web controls to reduce delivery of suspicious design files.
Validation and detection
- Confirm Illustrator versions are newer than the affected 25.2-and-earlier range.
- Verify patch status on creative workstations and shared design systems.
- Check whether users regularly receive external Illustrator files.
- Review endpoint alerts for suspicious Illustrator process behavior.
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
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CWE-788: 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-2021-21105 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
- 8.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/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:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/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/illustrator/apsb21-24.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.
Access of Memory Location After End of Buffer
Access of Memory Location After End of Buffer represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.