CVE-2020-3791 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 • 10/05/2020
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 resides within the application's handling of image file parsing operations. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient validation of length of input buffers, and can be classified as a buffer over-read condition that occurs when a program attempts to read data beyond the allocated memory boundaries. The flaw manifests during the processing of malformed image files, particularly those containing specially crafted metadata or image structures that cause the application to access memory locations outside the intended buffer limits. When exploited, this vulnerability allows an attacker to perform an out-of-bounds read operation that can potentially expose sensitive memory contents including stack data, heap information, or other application memory segments that may contain authentication tokens, user credentials, or proprietary code structures. The security implications extend beyond simple information disclosure as this vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, potentially enabling attackers to gather intelligence about the target system's memory layout and application state. The vulnerability operates through the application's image parsing engine where it fails to properly validate the size and structure of incoming image data before attempting to read from memory regions. This particular weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers may leverage the information disclosure to understand system behavior and develop more targeted attacks, while also mapping potential paths for privilege escalation through memory corruption techniques. The impact of this vulnerability is significant as it can be exploited through social engineering tactics where victims are tricked into opening maliciously crafted image files, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently handle image files from external sources. Attackers can craft specially formatted image files that, when opened by the vulnerable Photoshop versions, trigger the out-of-bounds read condition and allow them to extract sensitive information from the application's memory space. The exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, making it a particularly concerning threat vector for organizations that rely heavily on image editing software for creative workflows and document processing. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems as the vulnerability can be reliably exploited without requiring complex attack vectors or specialized tools, and the information disclosure aspect makes it particularly valuable for attackers seeking to understand target environments and develop more advanced exploitation techniques. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper memory management in multimedia processing applications, where the parsing of external file formats can introduce significant security risks if not properly secured against malformed or malicious input data.