BEX run-time error at launch of AcroRd32.exe Acrobat Reader DC

Hello,

As of 2021-July, my Windows 8 system is unable to run Acrobat Reader DC.  I tried uninstalling, rebooting, reinstalling latest version for this platform, to no avail.

I have no internet issues, no VPN or similar Proxy running, etc.

This issue STARTED as of 2021-JULY.  Not sure what changed, as I did not manually update the Reader tool .. and microsoft is not patching this O/S except for emergenies.

Please advise.

Here is the error which appears at LAUNCH of the installed Adobe Acrobat Reader DC application on my Windows 8 system:

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BEX
Application Name: AcroRd32.exe
Application Version: 21.5.20058.47888
Application Timestamp: 60d811f5
Fault Module Name: ntdll.dll
Fault Module Version: 6.3.9600.20065
Fault Module Timestamp: 60caca5d
Exception Offset: 000e5dcf
Exception Code: c0000409
Exception Data: 0000000a
OS Version: 6.3.9600.2.0.0.768.101
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 8f57
Additional Information 2: 8f576e02d4f9fa20886d32d3ed351da3
Additional Information 3: 8f57
Additional Information 4: 8f576e02d4f9fa20886d32d3ed351da3