CVE-2018-12829 in Creative Cloud Desktop Application
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application before 4.6.1 has an improper certificate validation vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to privilege escalation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2023
The Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application vulnerability CVE-2018-12829 represents a critical security flaw in the application's certificate validation mechanism that affects versions prior to 4.6.1. This improper certificate validation vulnerability stems from the application's failure to adequately verify the authenticity and integrity of digital certificates used during the software update and installation processes. The flaw exists within the application's trust model where it accepts certificates without proper validation checks, potentially allowing malicious actors to present forged certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of certificate validation failures that are commonly categorized as CWE-295 - Improper Certificate Validation, which is a well-documented weakness in cryptographic implementations that can lead to serious security consequences.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables attackers to perform privilege escalation attacks by manipulating the certificate validation process during software updates or installations. When the Creative Cloud Desktop Application attempts to validate certificates for updates or new installations, it fails to properly verify the certificate chain, allowing attackers to substitute their own malicious certificates for legitimate ones. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers to install unauthorized software with elevated privileges, potentially gaining system-level access or executing arbitrary code with the privileges of the running application. The vulnerability specifically impacts the application's ability to distinguish between genuine Adobe certificates and forged certificates, creating a trust boundary that can be easily compromised. Attackers can leverage this flaw by creating malicious certificates that meet the application's validation criteria, thereby bypassing the normal security checks that would normally prevent unauthorized installations or updates.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-12829 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass potential system compromise and persistent access within targeted environments. Organizations using affected versions of Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application face significant risk of unauthorized software deployment, which could include malware installation, backdoor access, or other malicious payloads. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Adobe Creative Cloud applications are widely deployed, as a successful exploitation could provide attackers with a foothold for lateral movement within the network. The privilege escalation aspect means that even if initial access is obtained through other vectors, the vulnerability could be leveraged to gain higher privileges and maintain persistent access. This represents a significant concern for security teams as it provides a mechanism for attackers to elevate their privileges without requiring additional exploitation techniques, and it aligns with the attack pattern described in MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1068 - Exploitation for Privilege Escalation.
Organizations should immediately implement remediation measures by upgrading to Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application version 4.6.1 or later, which contains the necessary certificate validation fixes. Security administrators should also monitor for any unauthorized installations or updates that might indicate exploitation attempts, and consider implementing additional security controls such as application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper certificate validation in maintaining application security and highlights the need for regular security updates and patches. Organizations should also review their certificate management practices and ensure that proper certificate validation procedures are in place across all applications that rely on cryptographic verification. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the broader security implications of cryptographic weaknesses and the importance of following security best practices for certificate management and validation as outlined in industry standards and frameworks.