CVE-2021-35992 in Adobe
Summary
by MITRE • 08/20/2021
Adobe Bridge version 11.0.2 (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 • 08/25/2021
Adobe Bridge version 11.0.2 and earlier contains a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that stems from improper input validation during file parsing operations. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of malformed or specially crafted files that exploit memory access patterns beyond allocated buffer boundaries. The flaw manifests when Bridge attempts to process maliciously constructed input data, causing the software to read memory locations that fall outside the intended buffer limits. Such memory access violations can potentially expose sensitive information stored in adjacent memory regions including user credentials, session tokens, or other confidential data structures that may be accessible to the application process. The vulnerability is classified as a classic out-of-bounds read condition that aligns with CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read errors in software implementations. This issue represents a significant security concern as it allows for information disclosure without requiring authentication or elevated privileges, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may encounter untrusted content.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction through the opening of a malicious file, which means that attackers must successfully trick victims into executing the crafted file within Adobe Bridge. This user interaction requirement places the vulnerability in the context of social engineering attacks or targeted payload delivery mechanisms where users might be induced to open suspicious files. The attack surface extends to any scenario where Adobe Bridge processes external files, including but not limited to image files, document previews, or metadata extraction operations. 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 impact is particularly concerning because it can lead to the exposure of session information, configuration data, or other user-specific details that could be leveraged for further attacks or unauthorized access.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in desktop applications. The flaw represents a failure in the principle of least privilege where the application should not be able to read beyond its intended memory boundaries. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter indicates that if successful, such information disclosure could potentially enable more sophisticated attacks by providing attackers with additional context about the target system. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation, file filtering, and user awareness training as defensive measures to reduce the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the need for regular software updates and patch management processes, as Adobe has released fixes for this issue in subsequent versions of Bridge. Security teams should prioritize monitoring for any indicators of exploitation attempts and ensure that all Adobe Bridge installations are updated to versions that contain the relevant security patches. The memory disclosure characteristics of this vulnerability also make it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to gather intelligence about target systems and user environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly validate buffer boundaries during file parsing operations, which can result in memory corruption and information leakage. Attackers typically craft malicious files that contain carefully constructed data structures designed to trigger the out-of-bounds read condition when processed by the vulnerable software. The specific memory locations that are accessed during exploitation can vary depending on the application's memory layout and the particular version of Adobe Bridge affected. This vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges in software security where seemingly simple input validation failures can result in significant information disclosure risks. Organizations should implement comprehensive security testing procedures including fuzzing and memory safety analysis to identify similar vulnerabilities in their software applications. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of keeping software applications up to date with the latest security patches and updates to protect against known exploitation techniques.