CVE-2021-42264 in Premiere Pro
Summary
by MITRE • 03/16/2022
Adobe Premiere Pro 15.4.1 (and earlier) is affected by a Null pointer dereference vulnerability when parsing a specially crafted file. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve an application denial-of-service in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2022
Adobe Premiere Pro version 15.4.1 and earlier versions contain a critical null pointer dereference vulnerability that manifests during the parsing of specially crafted media files. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-476 category of NULL Pointer Dereference, where the application attempts to access memory through a null pointer reference without proper validation. The flaw occurs within the media file parsing component that processes various video and audio formats, particularly when encountering malformed or maliciously constructed file structures. When the application encounters a null pointer during the parsing sequence, it fails to properly handle the exception, leading to an abrupt application termination. The vulnerability requires user interaction for exploitation since victims must open the malicious file within the application interface, making it a user-initiated denial-of-service vector. This type of vulnerability represents a significant security concern within creative software applications where users frequently process third-party media files from various sources. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it can potentially be leveraged in conjunction with other attack vectors to create more sophisticated exploitation scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability affects users who regularly process media files from untrusted sources or collaborate with external parties who may provide compromised content. Attackers can craft malicious media files that trigger the null pointer dereference when opened in Premiere Pro, resulting in application crashes that disrupt workflow and potentially cause data loss. The vulnerability's requirement for user interaction provides a natural defense mechanism, but also means that social engineering attacks could be employed to trick users into opening malicious files. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code or cause service disruption. The vulnerability's exploitation process typically involves creating a specially crafted media file that contains malformed structures designed to trigger the null pointer dereference during parsing operations, which then results in the application's termination.
Organizations and individual users should implement several mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. The most immediate and effective approach is to upgrade to Adobe Premiere Pro version 15.5.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to prevent the null pointer dereference. System administrators should establish strict file validation policies for media content, particularly when processing files from external sources or third-party vendors. Implementing application whitelisting controls can help prevent unauthorized or potentially malicious applications from executing on user systems. Security awareness training programs should emphasize the importance of avoiding opening suspicious media files from unknown sources, as this vulnerability requires user interaction for successful exploitation. Network-based controls such as content filtering and sandboxing solutions can provide additional layers of protection by analyzing media files before they reach end-user systems. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for this specific CVE to ensure that systems remain protected against this and related denial-of-service threats. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing comprehensive security controls in creative workflows where media processing applications are extensively used.