# CVE-2021-21090: Adobe InCopy DOCX file parsing directory traversal vulnerability could lead to remote code execution

> An attacker can achieve remote code execution by tricking a user into opening a malicious DOCX file in Adobe InCopy.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 28 Jun 2021
- **Updated:** 23 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-62f6-qcp7-pw2w

## What is CVE-2021-21090?

CVE-2021-21090 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Adobe Incopy, published on 28 Jun 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Adobe InCopy version 16.0 (and earlier) is affected by an path traversal vulnerability when parsing a crafted file. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve remote 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.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-21090?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe Incopy.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-21090?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-21090 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-21090 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21090 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Incopy

- [CVE-2026-34706](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34706/): InCopy | Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787) (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-34707](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34707/): InCopy | Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122) (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-34708](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34708/): InCopy | Stack-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-121) (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-27287](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-27287/): InCopy | Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125) (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-34631](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34631/): InCopy | Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787) (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-21090 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-21090 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Adobe Incopy, published on 28 Jun 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21090 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Adobe Incopy. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21090/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21090/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-21090
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21090
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-21090

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21090/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.