# CVE-2021-44188: Adobe After Effects 3GP File Parsing Out-Of-Bounds Read Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> An out-of-bounds read in Adobe After Effects allows remote code execution when a user opens a malicious 3GP file.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 7 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 27 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-34x8-fgc3-8hvh

## What is CVE-2021-44188?

CVE-2021-44188 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Adobe After Effects, published on 7 Sep 2023. 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

Adobe After Effects versions 22.0 (and earlier) and 18.4.2 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability which could result in a read past the end of an allocated memory structure. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to execute code 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-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-44188?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe After Effects.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-44188?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-44188 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-44188 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-44188 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe After Effects

- [CVE-2020-3765](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3765/): Memory corruption in Adobe After Effects (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-28586](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28586/): Adobe After Effects PDF file parsing out-of-bounds write could lead to remote code execution vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-28571](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28571/): Adobe After Effects improper neutralization of special elements could lead to remote code execution (high 8.3)
- [CVE-2021-28570](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28570/): Adobe After Effects uncontrolled search path element vulnerability could lead to remote code execution (high 8.3)
- [CVE-2026-48274](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48274/): After Effects | Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787) (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-44188 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-44188 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Adobe After Effects, published on 7 Sep 2023. 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-2021-44188 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Adobe After Effects. 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-2021-44188/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44188/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-44188
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-44188
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-44188

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44188/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.