CVE-2021-40700 in Premiere Elements
Summary
by MITRE • 09/28/2021
Adobe Premiere Elements version 2021.2235820 (and earlier) is affected by a memory corruption vulnerability due to insecure handling of a malicious TIFF 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 • 05/03/2025
Adobe Premiere Elements version 2021.2235820 and earlier versions contain a memory corruption vulnerability that arises from insecure handling of maliciously crafted TIFF image files. This vulnerability falls under the category of buffer overflow conditions and represents a critical security flaw that can be exploited through crafted file manipulation. The flaw occurs when the application processes TIFF files without proper validation of file structures, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the currently logged-in user. The vulnerability is classified as a heap-based buffer overflow according to common weakness enumeration standards, specifically mapping to CWE-121 which deals with stack-based buffer overflow conditions. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting a malicious TIFF file that, when opened by the vulnerable application, triggers memory corruption through improper memory allocation and handling of image data structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution as it provides attackers with the ability to escalate privileges and potentially gain full system control. When a user interacts with the malicious TIFF file through Adobe Premiere Elements, the application's image processing pipeline fails to properly validate the file format, leading to memory corruption that can be manipulated to overwrite critical memory locations. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only user interaction to exploit, making it highly effective in social engineering attacks where users might unknowingly open malicious files. The attack surface is broad as TIFF files are commonly used in multimedia workflows and can be easily distributed through email attachments, file sharing platforms, or compromised websites. The vulnerability's exploitation aligns with attack techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under T1203 which covers exploitation for execution, and T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter techniques that can follow successful code execution.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of Adobe Premiere Elements to version 2021.223582 or later, which addresses the memory corruption issue through proper input validation and secure memory handling practices. Organizations should implement strict file validation policies that prevent execution of untrusted image files through multimedia applications, particularly those with known vulnerabilities. System administrators should consider deploying application whitelisting solutions that restrict execution of unauthorized software and enforce security policies that limit user interaction with potentially malicious file formats. Network security measures including email filtering and web content filtering should be enhanced to prevent delivery of malicious TIFF files to end users. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security updates and patch management programs, as this flaw could have been prevented through timely application of security patches. Organizations should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous file processing activities that may indicate exploitation attempts, and establish incident response procedures that can quickly address potential exploitation of this type of memory corruption vulnerability.