# CVE-2023-21596: Adobe InCopy Improper Input Validation Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening malicious files in Adobe InCopy.

- **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:** 13 Jan 2023
- **Updated:** 5 Mar 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-33ff-c2wp-wfmh

## What is CVE-2023-21596?

CVE-2023-21596 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Adobe Incopy, published on 13 Jan 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 InCopy versions 18.0 (and earlier), 17.4 (and earlier) are affected by an Improper Input Validation vulnerability that could result in arbitrary 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-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-21596?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe Incopy.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-21596?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-21596 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-21596 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-21596 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Incopy

- [CVE-2021-21090](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21090/): Adobe InCopy DOCX file parsing directory traversal vulnerability could lead to remote code execution (high 8.8)
- [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)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-21596 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-21596 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Adobe Incopy, published on 13 Jan 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-2023-21596 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-2023-21596/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-21596/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-21596
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-21596
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-21596

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-21596/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.