How severe is CVE-2021-29098?

CVE-2021-29098 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-29098 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-29098?

CVE-2021-29098 primarily affects Esri Arcgis Engine. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-29098?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-29098 published?

CVE-2021-29098 was published on 2021-03-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-29098

CVE-2021-29098 is a high-severity vulnerability in Esri Arcgis Engine with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-824.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (78th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-824
Affected product: Esri Arcgis Engine
Published: 2021-03-25
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Multiple uninitialized pointer vulnerabilities when parsing a specially crafted file in Esri ArcReader, ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine 10.8.1 (and earlier) and ArcGIS Pro 2.7 (and earlier) allow an unauthenticated attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-29098?: Multiple uninitialized pointer vulnerabilities when parsing a specially crafted file in Esri ArcReader, ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine 10.8.1 (and earlier) and ArcGIS Pro 2.7 (and earlier) allow an unauthenticated attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user.
How severe is CVE-2021-29098?: CVE-2021-29098 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-29098 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-29098?: CVE-2021-29098 primarily affects Esri Arcgis Engine. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-29098?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-29098 published?: CVE-2021-29098 was published on 2021-03-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:a:esri:arcgis_engine:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:esri:arcgis_pro:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:esri:arcmap:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:esri:arcreader:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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