CVE-2022-30642 in Illustrator
Summary
by MITRE • 09/07/2023
Adobe Illustrator versions 26.0.2 (and earlier) and 25.4.5 (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 • 04/22/2025
Adobe Illustrator suffers from a critical out-of-bounds write vulnerability that resides within its file parsing functionality. This flaw exists in versions 26.0.2 and earlier, as well as 25.4.5 and earlier, representing a significant security gap in the software's handling of malformed input files. The vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking during the processing of specific file structures, allowing an attacker to manipulate memory allocation patterns through crafted malicious files. When a user opens such a file, the application's memory management routines execute an out-of-bounds write operation that can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-787, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds write conditions in software applications. The exploitability of this issue requires social engineering tactics as users must actively open the malicious file, making it susceptible to targeted attacks through phishing campaigns or malicious file sharing. The operational impact is severe as successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute malicious code on affected systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This vulnerability particularly affects creative professionals who frequently handle design files from external sources, making them prime targets for such attacks. The attack surface expands when considering that Illustrator files often contain embedded resources and complex vector data structures that could be manipulated to trigger the memory corruption. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities to gain initial access. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of affected versions, with Adobe releasing security updates to address the bounds checking deficiencies in the file parsing engine. Organizations should implement strict file validation protocols and user education programs to reduce the risk of successful exploitation through social engineering. Additionally, network segmentation and application whitelisting can provide additional defense layers to prevent unauthorized execution of malicious files. The vulnerability represents a classic example of how seemingly benign file processing operations can become attack vectors when proper input validation mechanisms are absent, highlighting the importance of robust memory safety practices in creative software applications.