# CVE-2021-29096: ArcGIS general raster security update: use-after-free

> An unauthenticated attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution by tricking a user into opening a specially crafted file in ArcGIS products.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Mar 2021
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8vhv-h63p-g472

## What is CVE-2021-29096?

CVE-2021-29096 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Esri ArcGIS Desktop, published on 25 Mar 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A use-after-free vulnerability when parsing a specially crafted file in Esri ArcReader, ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine 10.8.1 (and earlier) and ArcGIS Pro 2.7 (and earlier) allows an unauthenticated attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-29096?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Esri Arcgis Engine, Esri Arcgis Pro, Esri Arcmap, Esri Arcreader.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-29096?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-29096 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-29096 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-29096 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Esri ArcGIS Desktop

- [CVE-2021-29097](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-29097/): ArcGIS general raster security update: buffer overflow (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-29098](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-29098/): ArcGIS general raster security update: uninitialized pointer (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-29096 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-29096 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Esri ArcGIS Desktop, published on 25 Mar 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-29096 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Esri ArcGIS Desktop. 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-2021-29096/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-29096/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-29096
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-29096
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-29096

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-29096/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.