CVE-2022-28276 in Photoshop
Summary
by MITRE • 05/06/2022
Adobe Photoshop versions 22.5.6 (and earlier) and 23.2.2 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds write vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution 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 • 05/11/2022
Adobe Photoshop contains a critical out-of-bounds write vulnerability that affects versions 22.5.6 and earlier, as well as 23.2.2 and earlier. This flaw resides in the application's handling of specially crafted image files, specifically within the parsing logic for certain file formats. The vulnerability manifests when the software attempts to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries while processing maliciously constructed input files. The root cause of this issue can be traced to inadequate bounds checking mechanisms in the image parsing routines, which fail to validate the size and structure of incoming data before attempting memory operations. This weakness falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-787, which describes out-of-bounds write conditions that occur when a program writes to memory locations outside the bounds of a buffer. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it enables remote code execution when a user opens a crafted file, requiring only social engineering to deliver the malicious payload through email attachments, web downloads, or other file transfer mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation as it represents a significant vector for advanced persistent threats and targeted attacks. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the currently logged-in user, potentially leading to full system compromise. The requirement for user interaction makes this vulnerability particularly insidious as it cannot be exploited through automated means alone, necessitating social engineering campaigns to convince victims to open malicious files. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1204.002, which describes user execution through malicious files, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage. The vulnerability affects both Photoshop 22.x and 23.x series, indicating it was present across a significant portion of the application's user base, making it an attractive target for threat actors seeking broad impact.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching and user awareness measures. Adobe has released security updates addressing this issue, and system administrators should prioritize deployment of the latest versions of Photoshop to protect against exploitation. Organizations should implement strict file validation policies, particularly for image files received from external sources, and consider deploying sandboxing solutions to isolate potentially malicious files. User education programs should emphasize the importance of not opening suspicious files from unknown sources, as this vulnerability requires user interaction to exploit successfully. Network-based protections such as email filtering and web proxies can help prevent initial delivery of malicious files, while endpoint detection and response solutions can monitor for suspicious process behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in multimedia applications, where complex file format parsers create numerous potential attack surfaces. Security teams should also consider implementing principle of least privilege configurations to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.