CVE-2020-3785 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 a memory corruption vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/05/2020
Adobe Photoshop versions 2019.0.8 and earlier, as well as Photoshop 2020 versions 21.1 and earlier contain a memory corruption vulnerability that represents a critical security risk for users of these applications. This vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues and is particularly concerning due to its potential for arbitrary code execution when exploited successfully. The flaw exists within the application's handling of certain image file formats, specifically related to how Photoshop processes and allocates memory for image data structures during file parsing operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within Photoshop's image processing engine. When the application encounters specially crafted image files, particularly those with malformed or oversized data structures, the memory allocation routines fail to properly handle boundary conditions and buffer overflows. This memory corruption occurs during the parsing of image metadata or pixel data, where the application attempts to write beyond allocated memory boundaries or access uninitialized memory regions. The vulnerability is classified as a memory corruption flaw that aligns with CWE-121, which describes unsafe use of a buffer, and potentially CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read conditions. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with heap-based buffer overflow conditions where attacker-controlled data influences memory allocation decisions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, as successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise. An attacker who can convince a user to open a maliciously crafted image file within Photoshop would gain the ability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the application. This represents a significant threat vector for both enterprise and individual users, as Photoshop is widely used across creative industries and professional environments. The vulnerability can be exploited through social engineering tactics where users are lured into opening malicious files, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, or deployment of additional malware. The attack surface is particularly broad given Photoshop's widespread adoption and the common practice of opening image files from untrusted sources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action from system administrators and users. The most effective immediate solution involves updating to the latest versions of Adobe Photoshop where the memory corruption issue has been addressed through proper input validation and memory management improvements. Adobe released patches for both Photoshop 2019 and 2020 versions that resolve this vulnerability by implementing stricter bounds checking and memory allocation controls. Organizations should also implement additional security measures such as restricting file type execution permissions, deploying sandboxing solutions for image processing, and establishing strict file validation procedures for incoming image content. Network-level protections can include content filtering systems that scan image files for known malicious patterns or suspicious structures that may indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving execution through social engineering and privilege escalation, making comprehensive endpoint protection essential for preventing exploitation. Regular security awareness training for users on avoiding suspicious file attachments and understanding the risks associated with opening untrusted image files remains critical in defending against this type of attack vector.