CVE-2021-28620 in Animate
Summary
by MITRE • 08/25/2021
Adobe Animate version 21.0.6 (and earlier) is affected by a Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability. 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 Animate version 21.0.6 and earlier contains a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability that represents a critical security risk for users of this multimedia development software. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which specifically addresses heap-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write beyond allocated memory boundaries. The flaw occurs within the application's handling of malformed or specially crafted files that are processed during normal operation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper input validation within Adobe Animate's file parsing routines, particularly when processing certain multimedia elements or animation data structures. When a user opens a maliciously crafted file, the application fails to properly validate the size or content of buffer allocations, allowing an attacker to overflow adjacent memory regions. This memory corruption can be carefully orchestrated to overwrite critical program execution data such as return addresses or function pointers, enabling arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the currently logged-in user.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it represents a sophisticated attack vector that requires social engineering to achieve successful exploitation. Attackers must convince victims to open malicious files, typically through phishing campaigns, malicious websites, or compromised software distribution channels. This user interaction requirement provides a natural defense mechanism but also demonstrates the vulnerability's reliance on human factors in the attack chain. The attack surface includes any scenario where users might encounter and open potentially malicious files within the Adobe Animate environment, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise settings where users may regularly handle third-party design assets or animations.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of defense when addressing this vulnerability, including immediate patching of affected Adobe Animate installations to version 21.0.7 or later. Network-based mitigations such as file type filtering and sandboxing can provide additional protection, while user education about suspicious file attachments and downloads remains crucial. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 by leveraging user interaction for initial compromise, and represents a classic example of how multimedia applications can serve as attack vectors due to their inherent file processing capabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted files and regularly monitor for indicators of compromise related to this specific vulnerability.