CVE-2021-28623 in Premiere Elements
Summary
by MITRE • 06/28/2021
Adobe Premiere Elements version 5.2 (and earlier) is affected by an insecure temporary file creation vulnerability. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to call functions against the installer to perform high privileged actions. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/03/2021
Adobe Premiere Elements version 5.2 and earlier versions contain a critical insecure temporary file creation vulnerability that represents a significant security weakness in the application's installer component. This vulnerability falls under the category of insecure temporary file handling as defined by CWE-377, where the application creates temporary files with predictable names or locations that can be manipulated by unauthorized users. The flaw specifically affects the installer executable which lacks proper validation of temporary file creation processes, allowing malicious actors to exploit this weakness without requiring any user interaction or authentication.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the installer's failure to properly secure temporary file operations during the installation process. When the installer creates temporary files, it does not implement adequate randomization or secure naming conventions that would prevent attackers from predicting or accessing these temporary resources. This insecure approach enables privilege escalation attacks where an unauthenticated remote attacker can invoke specific installer functions that execute with elevated privileges. The vulnerability operates at the system level where installer functions can be triggered programmatically to perform administrative actions that should normally be restricted to authorized users with proper authentication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with a pathway to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges. This represents a severe security risk because the installer typically runs with elevated permissions to modify system files and registry entries, making it a prime target for exploitation. The lack of user interaction requirement means that attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely without needing to deceive users into performing specific actions, which significantly increases the attack surface and potential for widespread compromise. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected Adobe Premiere Elements versions to the latest available security updates from Adobe. Organizations should also implement strict access controls and monitoring of installer processes to detect unauthorized execution attempts. System administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of installer components outside of controlled environments. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices around temporary file handling and demonstrates why security controls such as those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices should be implemented. Additionally, network segmentation and privilege separation measures can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs, while regular security assessments can help identify similar insecure temporary file creation patterns in other legacy applications.