Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Adobe Bridge 11.0.2 and earlier can be compromised if a user opens a malicious file. Successful exploitation could let an attacker run code as that user, risking data theft, tampering, and workstation compromise. The provided sources do not show active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority workstation remediation issue for teams using Adobe Bridge. Business urgency is highest where employees regularly receive outside media files, because exploitation needs user interaction but can still result in full code execution as that user.
Technical view
CVE-2021-35990 is a CWE-787 out-of-bounds write in Adobe Bridge JPEG2000 parsing. The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.8 with local attack vector and required user interaction. Impact is high for confidentiality, integrity, and availability because exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution in the current user's context.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to endpoints running Adobe Bridge 11.0.2 or earlier, especially in creative, marketing, media, or design workflows where users open externally supplied image or project files.
Exploitation context
The bundle reports no CISA KEV listing and provides no evidence of active exploitation. Exploitation requires a victim to open a specially crafted file, so phishing, file-sharing, or third-party media intake are the most relevant risk contexts.
Researcher notes
The evidence supports Adobe Bridge 11.0.2 and earlier, JPEG2000 parsing, out-of-bounds write, and user-assisted RCE. The supplied bundle does not include proof-of-concept details, active exploitation evidence, or exact fixed version text, so remediation should track Adobe APSB21-53.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Adobe Bridge installations and identify versions 11.0.2 or earlier.
- Review Adobe APSB21-53 and apply the vendor-provided Bridge security update.
- Restrict opening externally supplied files in vulnerable Bridge versions until remediated.
- Use endpoint controls to limit execution from user-writable or untrusted file locations.
- Prioritize remediation for users handling third-party media or design assets.
Validation and detection
- Confirm Adobe Bridge versions across managed endpoints.
- Verify vulnerable versions have been updated according to Adobe APSB21-53.
- Check whether affected users routinely open external image or project files.
- Review security telemetry for suspicious Bridge child processes or crashes.
- Document compensating controls for any systems that cannot be updated immediately.
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-787: 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-2021-35990 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 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/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:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/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/bridge/apsb21-53.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 Write
Out-of-bounds Write represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.