CVE-2019-7983 in Photoshop CC
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Photoshop CC versions 19.1.8 and earlier and 20.0.5 and earlier have an out of bound write vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2020
Adobe Photoshop cc versions 19.1.8 and earlier and 20.0.5 and earlier contain a critical out of bounds write vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for users of the software. This vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption flaws that can be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The flaw occurs when the application processes certain image files or data structures without proper bounds checking, allowing malicious actors to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they can be triggered through legitimate file processing operations, making them difficult to detect and prevent.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within Photoshop's image parsing routines. When processing malformed or specially crafted image files, the application fails to properly validate array indices or buffer sizes before writing data to memory locations. This allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory regions with malicious content, potentially leading to privilege escalation or complete system compromise. The vulnerability is classified as a buffer overflow condition that can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing scenarios where users might unknowingly open malicious files. This type of flaw is categorized as CWE-787: "Out-of-bounds Write" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through scripting languages and T1068 for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-7983 extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to compromised systems and potentially move laterally within network environments. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability affects not only individual users but also enterprise environments where Photoshop is widely deployed for creative workflows and image processing tasks. The exploitability of this vulnerability means that users with legitimate access to Photoshop can become vectors for more sophisticated attacks, as the software's widespread use across creative industries provides attackers with multiple potential entry points. Organizations using affected versions of Photoshop should consider the risk of supply chain compromises, as attackers may target creative professionals who regularly process external media files.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of all affected Photoshop installations to the latest versions that contain the necessary memory bounds checking improvements. System administrators should implement strict file validation policies and consider sandboxing techniques to limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. Network security controls such as email filtering and web proxies should be configured to block potentially malicious image files from entering the network. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening untrusted files and the importance of keeping software updated. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management practices in multimedia applications and highlights the need for regular security assessments of creative software tools that handle external data inputs. Organizations should also consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions that can monitor for suspicious memory access patterns and anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.