CVE-2021-28571
Adobe After Effects improper neutralization of special elements could lead to remote code execution
Adobe After Effects version 18.1 (and earlier) is affected by a potential Command injection vulnerability when chained with a development and debugging tool for JavaScript scripts. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Adobe After Effects improper neutralization of special elements could lead to remote code execution
Adobe After Effects version 18.1 (and earlier) is affected by a potential Command injection vulnerability when chained with a development and debugging tool for JavaScript scripts. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.
- Record
CVE-2021-28571- CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-15243
Adobe After Effects version 18.1 (and earlier) is affected by a potential Command injection vulnerability when chained with a development and debugging tool for JavaScript scripts. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.
- Record
EUVD-2021-15243- CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-2x5j-ww8h-cc92No score
Adobe After Effects version 18.1 (and earlier) is affected by a potential Command injection...
Adobe After Effects version 18.1 (and earlier) is affected by a potential Command injection vulnerability when chained with a development and debugging tool for JavaScript scripts. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.
- Record
GHSA-2x5j-ww8h-cc92- Weakness
- CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
Adobe After Effects version 18.1 (and earlier) is affected by a potential Command injection vulnerability when chained with a development and debugging tool for JavaScript scripts. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.
- Record
CVE-2021-28571- CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.6 High
AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-28571 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.3) in Adobe After Effects, published September 8, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 3.90%, the 90th percentile. No source names a fixed version.