Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This CVE affects Adobe FrameMaker when it parses a malicious PDF. If a user opens the file, the flaw can let attacker-controlled code run with that user's permissions. The main business risk is compromise of workstations that use FrameMaker, especially through document-based phishing.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority workstation risk where FrameMaker is present. It is not described as remotely exploitable without user action, but malicious-document execution can support phishing-led compromise.
Technical view
CVE-2021-39829 is a CWE-787 out-of-bounds write in Adobe FrameMaker PDF parsing. Affected versions are FrameMaker 2019 Update 8 and earlier, and 2020 Release Update 2 and earlier. CVSS 3.0 is 7.8 with local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges, and required user interaction.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to endpoints where affected Adobe FrameMaker versions are installed and users can open PDFs from email, web downloads, shared drives, or third parties.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. Exploitation requires user interaction: a victim must open a malicious PDF file in the affected FrameMaker environment.
Researcher notes
Key evidence supports memory corruption, arbitrary code execution, current-user context, and malicious PDF user interaction. The bundle does not include detailed patch version data beyond the Adobe advisory reference, so remediation should be verified directly against vendor guidance.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Adobe FrameMaker installations and versions across managed endpoints.
- Review Adobe APSB21-74 for vendor-provided update guidance and fixed versions.
- Prioritize remediation for users who handle external documents.
- Limit opening untrusted PDFs in FrameMaker until remediation is confirmed.
- Use endpoint controls to reduce impact from user-context code execution.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether FrameMaker 2019 Update 8 or earlier is installed.
- Confirm whether FrameMaker 2020 Release Update 2 or earlier is installed.
- Check software inventory or endpoint management records for affected versions.
- Verify remediation status against Adobe APSB21-74 guidance.
- Review mail and web controls for suspicious PDF delivery patterns.
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-2021-39829 mapping review
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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/framemaker/apsb21-74.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.