CVE-2016-0952 in Photoshop CC
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 before 15.2.4, Photoshop CC 2015 before 16.1.2, and Bridge CC before 6.2 allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0951 and CVE-2016-0953.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2025
Adobe Photoshop and Bridge applications suffered from a memory corruption vulnerability that could be exploited to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions. This vulnerability affected multiple versions including Photoshop CC 2014 before 15.2.4, Photoshop CC 2015 before 16.1.2, and Bridge CC before 6.2. The flaw was classified as a memory corruption issue that arose from unspecified attack vectors, distinguishing it from related vulnerabilities CVE-2016-0951 and CVE-2016-0953. The vulnerability stemmed from improper handling of memory operations within the applications' processing pipelines, particularly when parsing or rendering certain file formats. Attackers could leverage this weakness by crafting malicious files that would trigger memory corruption during normal application operation, potentially leading to remote code execution or system instability. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. The attack surface was significant given Photoshop's widespread use in creative workflows and the common practice of opening files from untrusted sources. The operational impact included potential system compromise, data loss, and business disruption for organizations relying on these applications. The vulnerability was particularly concerning as it could be exploited through social engineering techniques where users might unknowingly open malicious files. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged for initial access through malicious file delivery and potentially for privilege escalation if the application ran with elevated permissions. The recommended mitigation strategy involved applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates, implementing strict file validation policies, and educating users about the risks of opening untrusted files. Organizations should also consider network segmentation and file scanning mechanisms to prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of regular security updates and proper input validation in multimedia applications that process complex file formats. The memory corruption nature of the flaw indicated that attackers could potentially overwrite critical memory regions, leading to unpredictable behavior and execution of malicious code. This vulnerability demonstrated the ongoing challenges in securing complex creative applications that must handle diverse and often malformed input data while maintaining performance and compatibility across various file formats and standards.