CVE-2021-28603 in After Effects
Summary
by MITRE • 08/25/2021
Adobe After Effects version 18.2 (and earlier) is affected by a Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability when parsing a specially crafted file. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve arbitrary code execution 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 • 05/03/2025
Adobe After Effects version 18.2 and earlier contains a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability that represents a critical security flaw in the application's file parsing functionality. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow category, where insufficient bounds checking allows an attacker to write beyond the allocated memory buffer. The flaw specifically manifests when the application processes a specially crafted file that triggers improper memory handling during the parsing operation. The vulnerability is classified as a remote code execution threat because it can be exploited without authentication, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users might encounter malicious files through various attack vectors.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a malicious file that, when opened by an unauthenticated user, triggers the buffer overflow condition in the heap memory management system. The attack vector relies on user interaction since victims must actively open the malicious file, which aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution. When the vulnerable After Effects application attempts to parse the crafted file, it fails to properly validate input boundaries, allowing malicious data to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This memory corruption can lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user, potentially enabling full system compromise. The heap-based nature of the vulnerability means that the overflow occurs in dynamically allocated memory, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent through standard memory protection mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation, as it represents a significant risk to creative professionals and organizations that rely heavily on Adobe After Effects for video editing and animation work. Attackers could potentially deliver malicious files through social engineering campaigns, compromised websites, or supply chain attacks targeting media production environments. The vulnerability affects a wide range of users since After Effects is widely used across the entertainment and media industries, making it an attractive target for threat actors seeking to compromise creative workflows. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where users have unrestricted access to file systems or where automated file processing systems might inadvertently execute malicious content.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of affected Adobe After Effects installations to version 18.3 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. System administrators should implement strict file validation procedures and consider sandboxing techniques to isolate potentially malicious files during processing. Network-based protections such as email filtering and web proxies can help prevent users from accessing malicious files through common attack vectors. The implementation of principle of least privilege access controls and user education programs about avoiding suspicious files can significantly reduce the attack surface. Organizations should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of unauthorized software. Additionally, regular security assessments of creative workflows and media processing systems can help identify potential entry points for similar vulnerabilities, aligning with ATT&CK framework's emphasis on maintaining operational security and defensive measures against client-side exploitation techniques.