CVE-2021-36059 in Adobe
Summary
by MITRE • 09/01/2021
Adobe Bridge version 11.1 (and earlier) is affected by a memory corruption vulnerability due to insecure handling of a malicious Bridge file, potentially resulting in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2021
Adobe Bridge version 11.1 and earlier contains a memory corruption vulnerability classified as CVE-2021-36059 that arises from insecure handling of malicious Bridge files. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient input validation allows attackers to manipulate memory structures during file processing. The flaw occurs when the application processes specially crafted Bridge files that contain malformed data structures, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction, meaning that an attacker must convince a target to open a malicious Bridge file through the application interface. This interaction model aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves user interaction to execute malicious code. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management during file parsing operations, where the application fails to properly validate the size and structure of data elements within Bridge files before attempting to process them. When a malicious file is opened, the application's handling of corrupted data leads to memory corruption that can be leveraged to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially allowing an attacker to inject and execute malicious code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it represents a privilege escalation vector that can be exploited in targeted attacks against Adobe Bridge users. Attackers could craft malicious Bridge files that, when opened by a victim, would trigger the memory corruption and provide a foothold for further compromise. This vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Adobe Bridge for creative workflows, particularly those with less security awareness among users who might inadvertently open malicious files. The attack surface is limited to users who have Adobe Bridge installed and are likely to open various file types, making it a potential vector for social engineering campaigns.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of Adobe Bridge to version 11.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this memory corruption vulnerability. Organizations should implement strict file validation policies and user education programs to reduce the likelihood of interaction with malicious files. Security controls such as application whitelisting can prevent execution of untrusted Bridge files, while network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious file transfer activities. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation, particularly for applications that process external file formats. Regular security assessments of creative software applications should be conducted to identify similar memory corruption vulnerabilities that could provide similar attack vectors, as this type of flaw represents a common weakness in applications handling user-provided data.