CVE-2021-40751 in After Effects
Summary
by MITRE • 11/18/2021
Adobe After Effects version 18.4 (and earlier) is affected by a memory corruption vulnerability due to insecure handling of a malicious .m4a file, potentially resulting in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. User interaction is required in that the victim must open a specially crafted file to exploit this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2025
Adobe After Effects version 18.4 and earlier contains a memory corruption vulnerability that stems from insecure handling of malicious .m4a audio files, representing a critical security flaw categorized under CWE-121. This vulnerability manifests when the application processes specially crafted media files that exploit improper memory management during audio file parsing operations. The flaw occurs because After Effects fails to properly validate and sanitize input data from .m4a containers, allowing attackers to manipulate memory layout through carefully constructed file structures that trigger buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of media processing and memory safety, making it particularly dangerous as it leverages the application's legitimate media handling capabilities to execute malicious code.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction through opening a malicious file, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation for execution and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter. The attack vector involves crafting a specially designed .m4a file that when opened in After Effects triggers the memory corruption, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of file format parsing flaws that affect multimedia applications, where the attacker can manipulate the parsing logic to cause unintended memory operations. The security implications are severe as successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute malware, escalate privileges, or establish persistence within the victim's environment without requiring administrative rights.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it represents a significant threat to creative professionals and organizations relying on Adobe After Effects for video production workflows. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to compromise workstations handling sensitive content, potentially accessing proprietary designs, client data, or intellectual property. The vulnerability affects the entire Adobe After Effects ecosystem, including users of older versions that may not have received security patches, creating a widespread risk across various industries including advertising, entertainment, and media production. Organizations using After Effects for collaborative projects face additional risks as a compromised workstation could lead to data exfiltration or disruption of production pipelines.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of Adobe After Effects to version 18.5 or later, which addresses this specific memory corruption issue through improved input validation and memory management. System administrators should implement strict file validation policies, particularly for media files received from external sources, and consider deploying sandboxing solutions to isolate media processing activities. Network-based mitigations could include filtering .m4a files at perimeter defenses and implementing email security controls to prevent malicious file attachments. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted media files and establish secure file handling procedures. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in multimedia applications, aligning with security frameworks that emphasize defense in depth and secure coding practices to prevent similar issues in other media processing software.