CVE-2021-35982
Adobe Reader DC Windows Installer Uncontrolled Search Path element could lead to Arbitrary Code Execution
Acrobat Reader DC versions 2021.005.20060 (and earlier), 2020.004.30006 (and earlier) and 2017.011.30199 (and earlier) are affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability. A local attacker with non-administrative privileges can plant a malicious DLL to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user via DLL hijacking. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- 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 Reader DC Windows Installer Uncontrolled Search Path element could lead to Arbitrary Code Execution
Acrobat Reader DC versions 2021.005.20060 (and earlier), 2020.004.30006 (and earlier) and 2017.011.30199 (and earlier) are affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability. A local attacker with non-administrative privileges can plant a malicious DLL to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user via DLL hijacking. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction.
- Record
CVE-2021-35982- CVSS 3.0
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-427
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-22615
Acrobat Reader DC versions 2021.005.20060 (and earlier), 2020.004.30006 (and earlier) and 2017.011.30199 (and earlier) are affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability. A local attacker with non-administrative privileges can plant a malicious DLL to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user via DLL hijacking. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction.
- Record
EUVD-2021-22615- CVSS 3.0
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-qxwf-3xfr-gcp8No score
Acrobat Reader DC versions 2021.005.20060 (and earlier), 2020.004.30006 (and earlier) and 2017...
Acrobat Reader DC versions 2021.005.20060 (and earlier), 2020.004.30006 (and earlier) and 2017.011.30199 (and earlier) are affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user via DLL hijacking. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction.
- Record
GHSA-qxwf-3xfr-gcp8- Weakness
- CWE-427
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
Acrobat Reader DC versions 2021.005.20060 (and earlier), 2020.004.30006 (and earlier) and 2017.011.30199 (and earlier) are affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability. A local attacker with non-administrative privileges can plant a malicious DLL to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user via DLL hijacking. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction.
- Record
CVE-2021-35982- CVSS 3.1
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.0
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 4.4 Medium
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-427
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-35982 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.3) in Adobe Acrobat Reader, published September 29, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.77%, the 78th percentile. No source names a fixed version.