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CVE-2021-21068· NVD / CVE Program· CNA adobe

Adobe Creative Cloud installer arbitrary file overwrite vulnerability

Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application version 5.3 (and earlier) is affected by a file handling vulnerability that could allow an attacker to cause arbitrary file overwriting. Exploitation of this issue requires physical access and user interaction.

MediumCVSS 6.1 · v3.1—No exploit No fix recorded

Noroxi analysis

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Published
Mar 12, 2021
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
0.6% · 48th percentile
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Report tools

JSON

Action score

24

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
24 / 40 · 6.1 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.6%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
6.1
CNA · adobe
6.1
agree

CVSS:3.0/AV:P/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Affected systems

VendorProduct
adobecreative cloud desktop application
applemacos
microsoftwindows

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • adobe creative cloud desktop applicationup to 5.3 inclusive

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (adobe). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Adobe Creative Cloud (desktop component)

    • unspecified and later · up to and including 5.3affected
    • unspecified and later · up to and including Noneaffected

Same product

adobe: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2020-9682Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application versions 5.1 and earlier have a symlink vulnerability vulnerability.
    40Plan
  • CVE-2020-9671Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application versions 5.1 and earlier have an insecure file permissions vulnerability.
    40Plan
  • CVE-2020-9670Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application versions 5.1 and earlier have a symlink vulnerability vulnerability.
    40Plan
  • CVE-2021-43019Adobe Creative Cloud Incorrect Permission Assignment Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
    32Monitor
  • CVE-2021-28594Creative Cloud Desktop installer Uncontrolled Search Path element could lead to arbitrary code execution
    32Monitor
  • CVE-2021-21069Adobe Creative Cloud Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
    32Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

The product’s vendor appears in a public program. Matched by name; verify the scope text in the program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Physical access to the device is required.
  • Administrator privileges are required.
  • A user must open a link or visit a page.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Physical
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
High
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-379 · Creation of Temporary File in Directory with Insecure Permissions

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.

References

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records