CVE-2021-28569 in Media Encoder
Summary
by MITRE • 09/09/2021
Adobe Media Encoder version 15.1 (and earlier) is affected by an Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability when parsing a specially crafted file. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to disclose sensitive memory information in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/10/2021
Adobe Media Encoder version 15.1 and earlier contains a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability classified as cwe-125 within the media processing pipeline. This flaw occurs when the application parses specially crafted media files that contain malformed data structures, specifically within the file format parsing routines that handle various multimedia container formats. The vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking during the parsing of media metadata and frame data, allowing an attacker to craft malicious files that trigger memory access violations when the application attempts to read beyond allocated buffer boundaries. The out-of-bounds read condition manifests when the parser encounters unexpected data patterns in the file header or embedded metadata sections, causing the application to access memory locations that do not belong to the intended data structure.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires social engineering to trick users into opening maliciously crafted media files, making it a user-interaction dependent attack vector. This characteristic aligns with attack techniques categorized under the MITRE ATT&CK framework as T1204.002 - User Execution: Malicious File, where adversaries rely on users to execute malicious payloads. The vulnerability does not require authentication or network access, as the attack occurs locally when the user opens the file within the Media Encoder application. However, the impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the memory disclosure could potentially reveal sensitive data such as stack contents, heap data, or application configuration details that might aid in subsequent exploitation attempts. The memory disclosure occurs in the context of the currently logged-in user, meaning that any sensitive information accessible to that user account could potentially be exposed through this vulnerability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends to organizations that rely on Adobe Media Encoder for professional video editing and media processing workflows. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain insights into the application's memory layout and potentially identify other exploitable conditions within the same codebase. The out-of-bounds read could potentially be chained with other vulnerabilities to achieve arbitrary code execution, particularly if the memory disclosure reveals information about application memory structures or stack canaries. Security researchers have noted that such memory disclosure vulnerabilities often serve as stepping stones in advanced persistent threat campaigns, where attackers first gather information about the target environment before launching more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability affects users across various operating systems including windows, macos, and linux platforms where Adobe Media Encoder is installed, making it a widespread concern for media production environments.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of Adobe Media Encoder installations to address this vulnerability, as no effective workarounds exist for the underlying parsing logic. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to Adobe Media Encoder version 15.2 or later, which includes fixed bounds checking mechanisms in the file parsing routines. Security teams should implement strict file validation policies for media files entering production environments, particularly when dealing with files from untrusted sources or third-party vendors. Network security controls such as email filtering and web proxies should be configured to block suspicious media file attachments that might contain malicious payloads. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of not opening unexpected media files from unknown sources, as this vulnerability specifically requires user interaction to be exploited. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in multimedia processing applications, as highlighted by industry standards that emphasize the need for robust memory safety mechanisms in applications handling untrusted data inputs.