CVE-2020-9628 in DNG Software Development Kit
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe DNG Software Development Kit (SDK) 1.5 and earlier versions have an out-of-bounds read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2020
The Adobe DNG Software Development Kit version 1.5 and earlier contains a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for systems utilizing this software. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 category of out-of-bounds read conditions, where the software fails to properly validate array indices or buffer boundaries before accessing memory locations. The flaw exists within the SDK's handling of digital negative image files, specifically when processing certain malformed or crafted input data that triggers improper memory access patterns.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the DNG SDK's parsing routines. When the software encounters specially crafted DNG files or malformed data structures, it attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries without proper bounds checking. This condition can occur during the processing of image metadata, color information, or other structured data components within the DNG file format. The out-of-bounds read operation may result in the disclosure of sensitive information stored in adjacent memory locations, potentially exposing system memory contents, including cryptographic keys, user credentials, or other confidential data that happens to reside in the affected memory regions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risks to organizations relying on Adobe DNG SDK for image processing workflows, particularly in environments where sensitive data is processed or where the SDK is integrated into larger security-critical applications. The information disclosure impact could enable attackers to gain insights into system memory layouts, potentially facilitating more sophisticated attacks such as privilege escalation or further exploitation of related vulnerabilities. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be achieved through the simple act of processing a maliciously crafted DNG file, making it particularly dangerous in automated processing environments or when the SDK is used in web applications or file processing services.
Security professionals should prioritize the immediate mitigation of this vulnerability by upgrading to Adobe DNG SDK version 1.6 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the out-of-bounds read condition. Organizations should also implement defensive measures such as input validation for DNG files, sandboxing of image processing operations, and monitoring for unusual memory access patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper bounds checking in memory-intensive applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers might leverage such vulnerabilities to extract information from compromised systems. Additionally, this issue highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of software development kits, particularly those handling binary data formats, as outlined in industry standards for secure software development practices. The vulnerability serves as a reminder that even specialized SDKs used for image processing can contain critical security flaws that may be exploited in supply chain attacks or targeted campaigns against organizations processing sensitive visual data.