CVE-2020-3787 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 presents significant security risks to users and organizations. This vulnerability falls under the category of heap-based buffer overflows and memory corruption flaws, which are commonly classified as CWE-121 and CWE-122 within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The flaw occurs during the processing of specific image file formats, particularly when handling malformed or maliciously crafted input files that trigger improper memory allocation and handling within the application's parsing routines.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting specially designed image files that cause Photoshop to allocate insufficient memory buffers for processing certain data structures. When the application attempts to write beyond these allocated boundaries, it results in memory corruption that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the victim user. This type of vulnerability represents a critical entry point for malicious actors seeking to compromise systems through social engineering or targeted attacks involving malicious image files. The attack vector typically involves tricking users into opening maliciously crafted image files through various delivery mechanisms including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious websites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond individual user compromise to potentially affect entire enterprise environments where Photoshop is widely deployed. Organizations utilizing these vulnerable versions face significant risks including data exfiltration, system persistence mechanisms, and lateral movement capabilities that attackers can exploit once initial compromise occurs. The vulnerability's potential for remote code execution makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise settings where users may inadvertently open malicious files from untrusted sources. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to initial access through malicious files and execution through legitimate system processes. The memory corruption nature of the flaw also makes it difficult to detect through traditional signature-based detection methods, requiring more sophisticated behavioral analysis and heuristic approaches.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Photoshop installations to version 20.0.9 or later for Photoshop 2019 and 21.2 or later for Photoshop 2020. Organizations should implement strict file validation policies and restrict user access to potentially malicious file types through network-based filtering and endpoint protection solutions. Additional defensive measures include regular security awareness training to prevent users from opening suspicious image files, implementing application control policies to restrict execution of unauthorized software, and maintaining comprehensive backup and recovery procedures. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping creative software applications updated, as these tools often process complex file formats that can contain exploitable memory handling flaws. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring for unusual file processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts.