CVE-2021-40753 in After Effects
Summary
by MITRE • 11/18/2021
Adobe After Effects version 18.4.1 (and earlier) is affected by a memory corruption vulnerability due to insecure handling of a malicious SVG 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 18.4.1 and earlier contains a memory corruption vulnerability classified as CVE-2021-40753 that stems from insecure handling of maliciously crafted SVG files. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that can be exploited through a malicious file attachment, requiring user interaction to initiate the attack vector. The flaw occurs when the application processes SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) files that contain malformed or malicious code structures, leading to improper memory management during file parsing operations. This insecure memory handling creates conditions where an attacker can manipulate memory layout and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the currently logged-in user. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and potentially CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios. The attack chain begins with an attacker crafting a specially designed SVG file that contains malicious payload structures designed to exploit memory corruption during After Effects' rendering or parsing processes. When a victim opens this malicious file within Adobe After Effects, the application's SVG parser fails to properly validate or sanitize the input data, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged for code execution. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation as it allows for complete system compromise when the victim interacts with the malicious file. Attackers can potentially escalate privileges through this vector, bypass security controls, and establish persistent access within the victim's environment. The vulnerability's exploitation requires user interaction, which makes it particularly dangerous in social engineering campaigns where victims are tricked into opening malicious files. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically PowerShell or other scripting environments that may be invoked through the compromised application. The memory corruption occurs during SVG processing, which typically involves parsing vector graphics data structures and converting them into memory representations for rendering. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and insufficient memory safety mechanisms within Adobe After Effects' SVG handling components. The affected version range includes all prior releases up to and including version 18.4.1, making a significant portion of Adobe's creative suite potentially vulnerable to this attack vector. Security researchers have identified that the vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking and memory allocation practices within the SVG parsing engine, which fails to properly handle malformed or oversized data structures. This flaw represents a classic example of how vector graphics processing can become a security attack surface when proper input sanitization and memory management practices are not implemented. The exploitation process typically involves crafting an SVG file with carefully constructed elements that trigger memory corruption during the parsing phase, potentially leading to remote code execution or privilege escalation. Organizations using Adobe After Effects should consider this vulnerability as a high-priority threat requiring immediate remediation through software updates and user awareness training to prevent successful exploitation attempts.
The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning given Adobe After Effects' widespread use in professional creative environments where users frequently handle files from external sources. The fact that user interaction is required for exploitation does not diminish the risk, as social engineering campaigns can effectively target creative professionals who may unknowingly open malicious files during their work processes. Security teams should implement monitoring for suspicious file access patterns and consider network-based detection measures to identify potential exploitation attempts. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability means that traditional antivirus solutions may not detect the attack, as the malicious code executes within the legitimate application context. This makes the vulnerability particularly challenging to defend against without proper application hardening and user education initiatives. The issue highlights the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation in multimedia processing applications where complex file formats are parsed and rendered. Organizations should prioritize patch management procedures to ensure all versions of Adobe After Effects are updated to prevent exploitation of this memory corruption vulnerability.