CVE-2021-36069 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-2021-36069 that arises from insecure handling of malicious Bridge files. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 vulnerability type, which represents out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to memory corruption and potentially arbitrary code execution. The flaw occurs when the application processes specially crafted Bridge files that contain malformed data structures, causing the memory management system to mishandle allocated memory regions.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction, meaning that an attacker must convince a victim to open a malicious Bridge file through the application's interface. This interaction typically occurs through social engineering tactics such as phishing emails containing malicious attachments or compromised websites. Once the user opens the crafted file, the memory corruption occurs during the parsing and processing of the file's contents, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and system compromise. The vulnerability's reliance on user interaction makes it somewhat less critical than fully automatic exploits, but still represents a significant security risk given that many users regularly interact with Bridge files in their workflow. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access to systems, deploy additional malware, or conduct advanced persistent threat operations.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, including regular patching of Adobe Bridge to version 11.2 or later where the issue has been addressed. System administrators should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized Bridge files, and employ email filtering solutions to prevent delivery of malicious attachments. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers may use the executed code to establish further footholds within the compromised system. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious file processing activities, and user awareness training should emphasize the dangers of opening untrusted Bridge files. Additionally, implementing sandboxing mechanisms for file processing can provide an additional barrier against exploitation attempts.