CVE-2007-2365 in Adobe
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Adobe Photoshop CS2 and CS3, Photoshop Elements 5.0, Illustrator CS3, and GoLive 9 allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted .PNG file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2365 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting multiple Adobe Creative Suite applications including Photoshop CS2 and CS3, Photoshop Elements 5.0, Illustrator CS3, and GoLive 9. This security weakness stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the image parsing libraries used by these applications, specifically when processing portable network graphics format files. The flaw operates at the intersection of software security and multimedia processing, where the applications fail to properly bounds-check data structures during PNG file interpretation, creating exploitable memory corruption conditions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a classic buffer overflow scenario where maliciously crafted PNG files can trigger memory corruption by exceeding allocated buffer boundaries. When these applications attempt to parse the specially constructed image data, the parsing routines fail to validate the size or structure of image components, particularly in the handling of color palette information and image metadata. This failure allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations with controlled data, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected application process. The vulnerability manifests through the application's image processing pipeline where PNG file headers and data segments are interpreted without adequate safeguards against malformed input.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to enterprise environments where Adobe applications are widely deployed, as it enables remote code execution through user-assisted attacks. The attack vector requires a user to open or process the malicious PNG file, which can occur through email attachments, web downloads, or shared network resources. Security researchers have classified this vulnerability as particularly dangerous due to the widespread adoption of Adobe Creative Suite applications across creative industries and enterprise environments. The impact extends beyond individual system compromise to potential network propagation, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to establish persistent access points within organizational networks.
Organizations can mitigate this vulnerability through multiple defensive measures including immediate application of Adobe security patches, implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized software, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage in exploitation scenarios. Security professionals should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for image processing applications and establishing robust patch management procedures to address similar vulnerabilities in legacy software versions. Regular security assessments and user education regarding suspicious file attachments remain essential components of comprehensive defense strategies against this and similar remote code execution vulnerabilities.