# CVE-2021-27033: Double Free File Parsing Vulnerability in Autodesk Design Review

> Opening a malicious PDF in Autodesk Design Review triggers a double free, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **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:** 9 Jul 2021
- **Updated:** 19 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-65m4-497r-hv9h

## What is CVE-2021-27033?

CVE-2021-27033 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Autodesk Design Review, published on 9 Jul 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

A maliciously crafted PDF file, when opened by a user in Autodesk Design Review, can trigger a Double Free vulnerability in the Autodesk Design Review application. A malicious actor may leverage this vulnerability to cause memory corruption and execute arbitrary code in the context of the current process.

Weakness: CWE-415 (Double Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-27033?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Autodesk Design Review.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-27033?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-27033 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-27033 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-27033 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Autodesk Design Review

- [CVE-2008-4471](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4471/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2008-4472](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4472/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2022-27864](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-27864/): Memory corruption in Autodesk Design Review (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-41306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41306/): Memory corruption in Autodesk® Design Review (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-27865](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-27865/): Memory corruption in Autodesk Design Review (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-27033 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-27033 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Autodesk Design Review, published on 9 Jul 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-2021-27033 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Autodesk Design Review. 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-2021-27033/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27033/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-27033
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-27033
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-27033

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27033/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.