CVE-2020-9686 in Photoshop
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Photoshop versions Photoshop CC 2019, and Photoshop 2020 have an out-of-bounds read vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/05/2020
Adobe Photoshop versions Photoshop CC 2019 and Photoshop 2020 contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for users of these applications. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions where an application attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The flaw manifests when the application processes certain image files or data structures without proper bounds checking mechanisms, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to manipulate memory access patterns. This particular vulnerability demonstrates the classic characteristics of a buffer over-read scenario where the software fails to validate input data before attempting to read from memory locations that may not contain valid data or may be accessible to unauthorized processes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory access issues and can potentially enable full arbitrary code execution on affected systems. When exploited successfully, an attacker can craft malicious image files or data inputs that trigger the out-of-bounds read condition, allowing them to manipulate program execution flow and potentially gain complete control over the affected system. This represents a severe escalation from a simple memory access violation to a full system compromise, as the vulnerability can be leveraged for privilege escalation and persistent access to target environments. The attack surface is particularly concerning given Photoshop's widespread use in creative workflows where users frequently open and process files from unknown or untrusted sources, making the exploitation vector highly practical in real-world scenarios.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as the initial out-of-bounds read can serve as a foothold for more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Photoshop is commonly used for design work, digital asset management, and creative collaboration, as attackers can leverage it to compromise user systems through social engineering or supply chain attacks targeting design files. Security researchers have identified that the vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation in the image parsing components of Photoshop, particularly when handling malformed or specially crafted image metadata. The lack of proper bounds checking in these components creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate memory access patterns and potentially execute malicious code with the privileges of the running Photoshop process.
Organizations and individual users should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability by updating to the latest versions of Adobe Photoshop where the issue has been patched. Adobe has addressed this vulnerability in subsequent releases through improved input validation and bounds checking mechanisms that prevent out-of-bounds memory access during image processing operations. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly, as the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, and file sharing scenarios. Additional defensive measures include implementing application whitelisting policies, restricting user permissions when opening files, and deploying network monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices and proper memory management in multimedia applications, as similar issues have been identified in other creative software applications that process complex file formats and data structures.