CVE-2019-7985 in Photoshop CC
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Photoshop CC versions 19.1.8 and earlier and 20.0.5 and earlier have a heap overflow vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2020
Adobe Photoshop contains a critical heap overflow vulnerability that affects users running versions 19.1.8 and earlier or 20.0.5 and earlier of the software. This vulnerability arises from insufficient bounds checking when processing specially crafted input files, particularly those containing malformed image data or metadata structures. The flaw exists in the application's image parsing routines where heap memory is allocated based on user-supplied data without proper validation of size parameters. When an attacker crafts a malicious file that triggers this condition, the application attempts to write data beyond the allocated heap buffer, resulting in memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected user.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, which represents one of the most dangerous classes of memory safety issues in software applications. This type of vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate memory layout and potentially overwrite critical program structures or function pointers, leading to complete system compromise. The attack surface is broad as Photoshop processes numerous image formats including psd, tiff, jpeg, and others that may contain embedded metadata or configuration data that can be manipulated to trigger the overflow condition. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through social engineering attacks where users unknowingly open malicious files, making it a prime target for advanced persistent threat actors who leverage such flaws in their initial access vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass full system compromise and potential data exfiltration. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain arbitrary code execution within the context of the Photoshop application, which typically runs with the privileges of the logged-in user. This means that if a user with administrative privileges opens a malicious file, the attacker could potentially escalate privileges or establish persistent access to the system. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks where the attacker might leverage additional flaws or system misconfigurations to move laterally within a network environment. From an enterprise security perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk as it can be exploited through email attachments, web downloads, or file sharing platforms without requiring any specialized knowledge or equipment beyond basic file crafting capabilities.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patch management to address this vulnerability by upgrading to Adobe Photoshop versions 20.0.6 or later, which contain the necessary fixes for the heap overflow condition. System administrators should implement network-based protections including email filtering, web proxies, and file validation systems that can detect and block potentially malicious image files before they reach end users. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of avoiding suspicious file attachments and downloading content only from trusted sources. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability through network traffic analysis and endpoint detection systems that can identify anomalous behavior patterns consistent with exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include comprehensive vulnerability scanning to identify all systems running affected versions of Photoshop and prioritization of patch deployment based on risk assessment and business criticality. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of unauthorized software versions and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing heap overflow exploitation attempts to ensure rapid containment and remediation of any successful attacks.