CVE-2021-40786 in Premiere Elements
Summary
by MITRE • 03/16/2022
Adobe Premiere Elements 20210809.daily.2242976 (and earlier) is affected by a memory corruption vulnerability due to insecure handling of a malicious 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 • 03/19/2022
Adobe Premiere Elements version 20210809.daily.2242976 and earlier versions contain a memory corruption vulnerability classified as CVE-2021-40786 that stems from insecure handling of malicious files. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the currently logged-in user. The flaw manifests during the processing of specially crafted files that exploit improper memory management within the application's file parsing routines. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read condition, which occurs when the application attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This type of memory corruption vulnerability provides attackers with a pathway to potentially gain complete system compromise through code execution.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction, meaning that an attacker must convince a victim to open a maliciously crafted file within the affected software environment. This interaction requirement typically involves social engineering tactics such as phishing emails containing malicious attachments or drive-by downloads from compromised websites. The attack vector leverages the application's failure to properly validate file structures and input data during the parsing process, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious code into the application's memory space. When users open the specially crafted file, the application's memory management routines fail to properly handle the malformed data, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged for code execution.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to end-user systems as it allows for privilege escalation without requiring administrative rights. The arbitrary code execution capability enables attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors within the victim's system. The vulnerability affects the Adobe Premiere Elements application specifically, which is commonly used for video editing and media processing tasks. Given the widespread adoption of Adobe Creative Suite applications, this vulnerability could potentially impact numerous users across various industries including media production companies, content creators, and individual consumers who use the software for personal projects. The memory corruption vulnerability can lead to system instability, data loss, and complete system compromise depending on the attacker's objectives and the specific implementation details of the exploit.
Security mitigations for CVE-2021-40786 primarily focus on immediate software updates and user education. Adobe has released patches and updates to address this vulnerability, which should be applied immediately to all affected systems. Organizations should implement strict file validation policies and sandboxing measures when processing media files, particularly those received from untrusted sources. The mitigation strategies align with ATT&CK framework techniques such as T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution. Network administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of unauthorized applications and monitor for suspicious file access patterns. Additionally, users should be trained to recognize potential phishing attempts and avoid opening suspicious email attachments or downloading files from untrusted sources. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of the vulnerable software version within the organization's infrastructure.