Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Adobe Animate can be compromised if a user opens a specially malformed FLA file. The flaw is a memory-use bug that may let attacker-controlled code run with the current user's permissions. It is serious for workstations handling untrusted project files, but the provided sources do not show internet-facing or zero-click exposure.
Executive priority
Address this as a high-priority workstation risk where Adobe Animate is used. It is not presented as remotely wormable, but successful exploitation could give an attacker the same access as the targeted user, including project files and reachable internal resources.
Technical view
CVE-2021-42269 is a CWE-416 use-after-free in Adobe Animate FLA parsing affecting version 21.0.9 and earlier. CVSS 3.1 is 7.8 with local attack vector, no privileges required, required user interaction, unchanged scope, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to systems running Adobe Animate 21.0.9 or earlier, especially creative or marketing workstations receiving FLA files from external parties. The bundle does not indicate server-side exposure, browser exploitation, or affected Adobe products beyond Animate.
Exploitation context
Exploitation requires convincing a victim to open a malicious FLA file. The source bundle marks CISA KEV as false, and no cited source states active exploitation. Treat weaponized files as plausible, but do not assume observed exploitation without more evidence.
Researcher notes
The key constraints are user interaction and local file parsing. The bundle identifies affected versions but does not provide exploit details, proof of concept status, or a complete fixed-version matrix. Use Adobe APSB21-105 for authoritative remediation specifics.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory endpoints for Adobe Animate 21.0.9 and earlier.
- Apply Adobe guidance from APSB21-105 or upgrade beyond affected versions.
- Restrict opening FLA files from untrusted external sources.
- Use endpoint controls to limit unknown file execution impact.
- Prioritize users who routinely receive third-party creative files.
Validation and detection
- Confirm Adobe Animate versions installed across managed endpoints.
- Check whether affected versions are still present after remediation.
- Review email and file-transfer paths for inbound FLA files.
- Verify users handling external FLA files have updated software.
- Confirm endpoint protection is active on creative workstations.
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-416: 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-2021-42269 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/animate/apsb21-105.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.
Use After Free
Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.