CVE-2026-21327 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability classified under CWE-787 affecting Adobe After Effects versions 25.6 and earlier. This vulnerability arises when the software improperly handles memory boundaries while processing certain file inputs, leading to a write operation outside the allocated buffer. Such a condition can corrupt memory, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the security context of the current user. The attack vector requires user interaction, specifically the victim opening a maliciously crafted After Effects project or file. No privileges are required to exploit this vulnerability, and the attack scope is limited to the user’s permissions. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects high severity, with metrics indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), required user interaction (UI:R), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although no public exploits are known at this time, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the widespread use of Adobe After Effects in creative industries. The lack of available patches at the time of publication necessitates immediate risk mitigation through alternative controls. The vulnerability’s exploitation could lead to full compromise of the affected system under the user’s context, enabling data theft, system manipulation, or further lateral movement within a network.

For European organizations, especially those in media production, advertising, and digital content creation, this vulnerability could lead to severe consequences. Successful exploitation may result in unauthorized code execution, data breaches, and disruption of critical creative workflows. Given Adobe After Effects’ prevalence in creative agencies, broadcasters, and post-production houses across Europe, the confidentiality of proprietary content and intellectual property is at risk. Additionally, compromised systems could serve as footholds for broader network intrusions, threatening operational continuity. The requirement for user interaction limits mass exploitation but does not eliminate targeted attacks, such as spear-phishing campaigns delivering malicious project files. The impact extends to availability, as exploited systems may crash or become unstable, disrupting business operations. The high integrity impact means attackers could manipulate or corrupt digital assets, leading to reputational damage and financial losses. Overall, the vulnerability poses a substantial threat to European organizations relying on Adobe After Effects for critical creative functions.

1. Apply official Adobe patches immediately once they become available to remediate the vulnerability. 2. Until patches are released, restrict the opening of After Effects project files from untrusted or unknown sources through group policies or endpoint security controls. 3. Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized or suspicious files within the Adobe After Effects environment. 4. Educate users on the risks of opening unsolicited or unexpected project files, emphasizing caution with email attachments and downloads. 5. Employ network segmentation to isolate systems running After Effects from sensitive or critical infrastructure to limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 6. Monitor system and application logs for unusual behavior or crashes related to After Effects processes. 7. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect and block exploitation attempts leveraging out-of-bounds memory writes. 8. Consider deploying sandboxing or containerization for running After Effects to contain potential exploits. 9. Regularly back up critical project files and digital assets to enable recovery in case of data corruption or ransomware attacks stemming from exploitation.