CVE-2021-40783 in Premiere Rush
Summary
by MITRE • 12/21/2021
Adobe Premiere Rush version 1.5.16 (and earlier) is affected by a memory corruption vulnerability due to insecure handling of a malicious WAV 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 • 12/25/2021
Adobe Premiere Rush version 1.5.16 and earlier versions contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that stems from insecure handling of maliciously crafted WAV audio files. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient validation of input data leads to memory corruption during file processing operations. The flaw occurs when the application attempts to parse and load malformed WAV files without proper bounds checking or memory allocation safeguards, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory layout and execute arbitrary code.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction through the opening or importing of a specially crafted malicious WAV file, making it a user-initiated attack vector that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability specifically maps to CWE-125 out-of-bounds read conditions and CWE-787 out-of-bounds write operations. When a user opens the malicious file, the application's audio processing pipeline fails to properly validate the file structure, leading to buffer overflows that can be leveraged to overwrite critical memory locations and redirect execution flow.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it allows attackers to gain arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the currently logged-in user. This presents a significant risk in environments where users may inadvertently open malicious files, particularly in creative workflows where audio file handling is common. The vulnerability affects the application's multimedia processing capabilities and could potentially lead to full system compromise if the user has elevated privileges. Attackers could exploit this to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access within the target environment.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch application to versions that address the memory handling flaws in the WAV file parser. Organizations should implement strict file validation procedures and consider sandboxing mechanisms for audio file processing. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper memory management in multimedia applications, highlighting the need for robust security controls in creative software that processes external media files. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts and consider network-based detection measures that can identify malicious WAV file patterns. Regular security updates and user education about file handling risks remain critical defensive measures against this class of vulnerabilities that specifically targets media processing applications.