CVE-2021-28618 in Animate
Summary
by MITRE • 08/25/2021
Adobe Animate version 21.0.6 (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 • 05/03/2025
Adobe Animate version 21.0.6 and earlier contains a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that stems from insufficient input validation during file parsing operations. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions where a program attempts to access memory beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The flaw occurs when the application processes specially crafted files that contain malformed data structures, causing the parsing routine to read memory locations that extend beyond the intended buffer limits. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the context of the current user, meaning that successful exploitation could potentially expose sensitive memory contents including temporary variables, authentication tokens, or other confidential data residing in adjacent memory segments. Security researchers have identified that this issue requires user interaction for exploitation, as victims must actively open the malicious file to trigger the vulnerable code path, making it a client-side attack vector that relies on social engineering or phishing techniques to deliver the malicious payload.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within the target environment. When an attacker successfully exploits this out-of-bounds read condition, they can potentially extract memory addresses, stack contents, or other sensitive information that could aid in bypassing security mechanisms or developing more advanced exploits. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as the leaked memory information might reveal system internals or application state that could be leveraged to craft more precise attacks. The vulnerability affects Adobe Animate's file parsing engine, which is commonly used for processing various multimedia formats including swf and fla files, making it a potential target for attackers who seek to compromise creative professionals or organizations that rely heavily on Adobe's multimedia tools. The memory disclosure aspect of this vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in environments where sensitive data might be stored in memory during processing operations, potentially exposing intellectual property, user credentials, or other confidential information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on both immediate defensive measures and long-term security improvements within the Adobe Animate ecosystem. Organizations should prioritize updating to Adobe Animate version 21.0.7 or later, which contains patches specifically designed to address the out-of-bounds read condition by implementing proper bounds checking during file parsing operations. Additionally, implementing strict file validation procedures and sandboxing mechanisms can significantly reduce the attack surface for this vulnerability. Security administrators should consider deploying file content filtering solutions that can identify and quarantine suspicious file patterns before they reach end-user systems. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of user education and awareness programs, as the requirement for user interaction makes social engineering attacks more effective. Organizations should establish robust incident response procedures to quickly identify and contain potential exploitation attempts, particularly when monitoring for unusual file access patterns or memory access violations that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network-based security controls including web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for known malicious file signatures associated with this vulnerability, while also implementing principle of least privilege access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.