CVE-2026-21322 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability classified under CWE-125 affecting Adobe After Effects versions 25.6 and earlier. The flaw arises during the parsing of crafted files, where the software reads beyond the allocated memory buffer, potentially exposing sensitive data or corrupting memory. This memory corruption can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the current user, thereby compromising system confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically the victim opening a maliciously crafted file, which limits automated or remote exploitation but still poses a significant risk in environments where files are exchanged frequently. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, indicating high severity, with attack vector local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), user interaction required (UI:R), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). No patches or known exploits are currently available, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and should be treated as a serious threat. Adobe After Effects is widely used in creative industries, making this vulnerability particularly relevant for organizations involved in media production, advertising, and digital content creation.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2026-21322 can be substantial, especially in sectors relying heavily on Adobe After Effects, such as media, entertainment, advertising, and digital content creation. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, data leakage, and potential disruption of production workflows. Confidential information, including proprietary media assets and client data, could be exposed or manipulated. The requirement for user interaction means phishing or social engineering attacks could be vectors for exploitation, increasing the risk in environments with less stringent file handling policies. Additionally, compromised systems could serve as footholds for broader network intrusion, threatening organizational IT infrastructure. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure necessitates immediate risk management to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability's high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability underscores the critical need for mitigation in European creative industries and organizations with distributed teams handling untrusted files.

1. Implement strict file handling policies: Educate users to avoid opening files from untrusted or unknown sources, especially in email attachments or downloads. 2. Employ sandboxing or application containment: Run Adobe After Effects within isolated environments to limit the impact of potential exploitation. 3. Use endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior related to memory corruption or code execution attempts. 4. Monitor network and system logs for suspicious activity that could indicate exploitation attempts. 5. Restrict user privileges: Limit user permissions to the minimum necessary to reduce the impact of code execution under the current user context. 6. Prepare for patch deployment: Stay alert for Adobe's official patch release and prioritize rapid testing and deployment once available. 7. Consider disabling or restricting the use of After Effects in high-risk environments until a patch is applied. 8. Implement multi-factor authentication and network segmentation to reduce lateral movement if a system is compromised. 9. Regularly back up critical data to enable recovery in case of compromise. 10. Conduct phishing awareness training to reduce the likelihood of users opening malicious files.