Is CVE-2021-21798 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2021-21798 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2021-21798 be exploited remotely?

No. CVE-2021-21798 requires local access to exploit.

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-21798?

CVE-2021-21798 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH).

HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2021-21798

HIGH

CVE-2021-21798

CWE-562Published: September 15, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

An exploitable return of stack variable address vulnerability exists in the JavaScript implementation of Nitro Pro PDF. A specially crafted document can cause a stack variable to go out of scope, resulting in the application dereferencing a stale pointer. This can lead to code execution under the context of the application. An attacker can convince a user to open a document to trigger the vulnerability.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-21798 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.