---
id: CVE-2021-28927
title: >-
  The text-to-speech engine in libretro RetroArch for Windows 1.9.0 passes
  unsanitized input to PowerShell through platform_win32.c via the
  accessibility_speak_windows function, which allows attackers who have write
  access on filesystems t…
summary: >-
  The text-to-speech engine in libretro RetroArch for Windows 1.9.0 passes
  unsanitized input to PowerShell through platform_win32.c via the
  accessibility_speak_windows function, which allows attackers who have write
  access on filesystems t…
severity: high
cvss: 7.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-78
vendor: libretro
product: retroarch
affected:
  - 'retroarch >= 1.9.0, <= 1.9.4'
published: '2021-04-07'
updated: '2026-07-05'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-28927'
references:
  - url: 'http://retroarch.com'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/blob/d3dc3ee989ec6a4903c689907ffc47027f71f776/frontend/drivers/platform_win32.c
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'https://labs.bishopfox.com/advisories/retroarch-for-windows-version-1.9.0'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'http://libretro.com'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'http://retroarch.com'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/blob/d3dc3ee989ec6a4903c689907ffc47027f71f776/frontend/drivers/platform_win32.c
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://labs.bishopfox.com/advisories/retroarch-for-windows-version-1.9.0'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.01272
epssPercentile: 0.68618
ingestedAt: '2026-07-05T02:00:01.576Z'
---

## Overview

The text-to-speech engine in libretro RetroArch for Windows 1.9.0 passes unsanitized input to PowerShell through platform_win32.c via the accessibility_speak_windows function, which allows attackers who have write access on filesystems that are used by RetroArch to execute code via command injection using specially a crafted file and directory names.

## Affected

- `retroarch >= 1.9.0, <= 1.9.4`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.