# CVE-2021-42528: XMP-Toolkit Null Pointer Dereference Application denial-of-service

> An attacker can cause a denial of service in applications using Adobe XMP Toolkit by tricking a user into opening a malicious file.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 May 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2021-42528, GHSA-mpvq-c99j-qj2v, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-42528

## What is CVE-2021-42528?

CVE-2021-42528 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 2 May 2022. 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

XMP Toolkit 2021.07 (and earlier) is affected by a Null pointer dereference vulnerability when parsing a specially crafted file. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve an application denial-of-service 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-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-42528?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Adobe Xmp Toolkit Software Development Kit, Debian Debian Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-42528?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2021-42528 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-42528 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2021-42529](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42529/): XMP-Toolkit SDK Stack-based Buffer Overflow Could Lead To Arbitrary Code Execution (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-42530](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42530/): XMP-Toolkit SDK Stack-based Buffer Overflow Could Lead To Arbitrary Code Execution (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-42531](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42531/): XMP-Toolkit SDK Stack-based Buffer Overflow Could Lead To Arbitrary Code Execution (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-42532](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42532/): XMP-Toolkit SDK Stack-based Buffer Overflow Could Lead To Arbitrary Code Execution (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-36051](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36051/): XMP Toolkit SDK Buffer Overflow Could Lead To Arbitrary Code Execution (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-42528 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-42528 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 2 May 2022. 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-2021-42528 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2021-42528/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42528/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-42528
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-42528
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-42528

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42528/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.