CVE-2019-7993 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 cc versions 19.1.8 and earlier and 20.0.5 and earlier contain a heap overflow vulnerability that represents a critical security flaw in the image processing software. This vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow, which occurs when more data is written to a buffer located on the heap than the buffer can accommodate. The flaw manifests when the application processes specially crafted image files that trigger an improper memory allocation during the parsing of image metadata or pixel data structures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly validate the size of data structures during image file parsing operations. When Photoshop encounters malformed input data within image files, particularly in formats such as psd, tiff, or other supported image containers, the software attempts to allocate memory on the heap without adequate bounds checking. This allows an attacker to craft malicious image files that cause the heap allocation to exceed the intended buffer boundaries, resulting in memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with a potential path to full system compromise. An attacker who successfully exploits this heap overflow can gain remote code execution capabilities, potentially allowing them to install malware, establish persistence mechanisms, or escalate privileges within the victim's environment. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects widely used creative software that users often open without suspicion, making social engineering attacks more effective. According to the attack tactics framework, this vulnerability could be leveraged through initial access vectors such as malicious email attachments or compromised websites serving exploit code.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected software versions, as Adobe has released security updates addressing this specific heap overflow condition. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. Additional protective measures include deploying application whitelisting solutions to restrict execution of unauthorized software, enabling sandboxing mechanisms for image processing operations, and implementing robust endpoint detection and response capabilities to monitor for suspicious memory allocation patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar memory corruption issues in other creative software applications. Security teams should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools that can detect and alert on potentially malicious image files before they are processed by vulnerable applications.