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CVE Record

CVE-2021-42195: An issue was discovered in swftools through 20201222.

An issue was discovered in swftools through 20201222. A heap-buffer-overflow exists in the function handleEditText() located in swfdump.c. It allows an attacker to cause code Execution.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-42195 is a memory corruption issue in SWFTools' swfdump component. A crafted SWF file could trigger a heap buffer overflow and potentially execute code where the tool runs. Business urgency depends on whether SWFTools is used to inspect or process untrusted Flash content.

Executive priority

Treat this as a targeted risk for environments that still process Flash files. It is not broadly internet-exposed by default, but code execution in a file parser can be serious in automated analysis or content-handling workflows.

Technical view

The CVE describes a heap-buffer-overflow in handleEditText() in swfdump.c in swftools through 20201222. The published description says it may allow code execution. No CVSS score, CWE classification, CPE data, patch version, or vendor mitigation is provided in the supplied sources.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to systems running SWFTools, especially swfdump, on attacker-supplied or untrusted SWF files. Automated malware analysis, media conversion, archival, or forensic workflows are the most plausible risk areas. The source bundle does not identify packaged distributions or downstream products.

Exploitation context

The supplied sources do not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. The GitHub issue is cited as the public reference, but the bundle does not provide enough detail to confirm exploit maturity, public proof-of-concept status, or real-world use.

Researcher notes

Key gaps remain: no CVSS vector, no CWE, no CPE, no fixed release, and no KEV signal in the provided bundle. Analysis should focus on local SWF parsing paths and operational controls around untrusted file handling.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory systems and pipelines using SWFTools or swfdump.
  • Avoid processing untrusted SWF files with affected versions.
  • Run SWFTools only in isolated, least-privileged environments.
  • Check upstream or distribution vendor guidance for fixed versions.
  • Replace SWFTools where no maintained fix is available.

Validation and detection

  • Search hosts, containers, and build images for SWFTools installations.
  • Confirm whether swfdump processes external or user-supplied SWF files.
  • Record installed SWFTools version and package source.
  • Review sandboxing around any SWF analysis workflow.
  • Check vendor advisories before marking remediation complete.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
3

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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ATT&CK lookup starting points

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description · low confidence lookup

Execution 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.

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CVE-2021-42195 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

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.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
2Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
n/an/an/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.