# CVE-2026-21320: After Effects | Use After Free (CWE-416)

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

- **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:** 10 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 27 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f2pc-4jpr-7fm6

## What is CVE-2026-21320?

CVE-2026-21320 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Adobe After Effects, published on 10 Feb 2026. 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

After Effects versions 25.6 and earlier are affected by a Use After Free 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-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-21320?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe After Effects.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-21320?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-21320 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-21320 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-21320 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-2026-21320 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-21320 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Adobe After Effects, published on 10 Feb 2026. 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-2026-21320 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-2026-21320/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-21320/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-21320
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-21320
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-21320

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-21320/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.