CVE-2020-3771 in Photoshop CC 2019
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 versions 20.0.8 and earlier, and Photoshop 2020 versions 21.1 and earlier have an out-of-bounds read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2020
Adobe Photoshop versions 2019.0.8 and earlier, as well as Photoshop 2020 versions 21.1 and earlier contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for users handling sensitive visual content. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, specifically addressing improper validation of array index values during memory access operations. The flaw occurs when the application processes certain image files that contain malformed data structures, particularly within the handling of specific color profiles or metadata elements that trigger the out-of-bounds memory access condition.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking within the image parsing routines that process various file formats including psd, psb, and other proprietary Adobe formats. When Photoshop encounters specially crafted image files containing oversized or malformed array references, the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This memory access violation can result in the disclosure of sensitive information from adjacent memory regions, potentially exposing system memory contents, user data, or application state information. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through routine image file processing without requiring user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, making it an ideal candidate for automated exploitation in targeted attacks.
From an operational perspective, successful exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to information disclosure attacks that compromise the confidentiality of user data and system resources. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information from memory locations that contain user credentials, application configuration data, or other confidential information. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as this vulnerability could serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, potentially enabling privilege escalation or further exploitation within the target environment. Security researchers have noted that the vulnerability's trigger mechanism makes it particularly dangerous in environments where users regularly process images from untrusted sources, such as email attachments, web downloads, or collaborative work environments.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the ATT&CK framework, particularly under the T1059.007 technique for process injection and T1068 for exploit development. The out-of-bounds read condition creates a memory corruption scenario that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code, though the immediate impact is information disclosure. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Photoshop versions as recommended by Adobe's security advisories, which address the underlying bounds checking deficiencies in the image parsing components. Additional mitigations include implementing strict file validation procedures, restricting user access to potentially malicious file types, and maintaining comprehensive monitoring for unusual memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider deploying network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify attempts to access vulnerable Photoshop installations through web services or file sharing platforms where users might inadvertently process malicious image files.