CVE-2022-30646 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.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2025
Adobe Illustrator versions 26.0.2 and earlier, as well as 25.4.5 and earlier, contain a critical out-of-bounds write vulnerability designated as CVE-2022-30646 that presents significant security risks to users. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-787 category of out-of-bounds write conditions, where an application attempts to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries. The flaw specifically affects the handling of malformed file structures during the parsing process, creating opportunities for attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The vulnerability requires user interaction to be exploited, meaning that a victim must willingly open a specially crafted malicious file to trigger the exploit, making it a targeted attack vector rather than an automatic system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within Illustrator's file parsing routines. When processing certain file formats, particularly those that may contain embedded or nested data structures, the application fails to properly validate array indices or buffer boundaries before writing data. This allows an attacker to craft a malicious file that, when opened by an unsuspecting user, causes the application to write beyond its intended memory allocation, potentially overwriting critical program data or executable code. The out-of-bounds write can be leveraged to manipulate program flow, leading to arbitrary code execution that operates with the privileges of the current user account.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to creative professionals and organizations that rely heavily on Adobe Illustrator for design work. The requirement for user interaction creates a social engineering component that attackers can exploit through various means such as phishing campaigns, compromised design assets, or malicious file sharing platforms. The impact extends beyond individual users to potentially affect entire organizations, as successful exploitation could lead to data theft, system compromise, or the installation of additional malicious software. Security teams must consider the potential for lateral movement within networks if attackers use this vulnerability to establish persistent access through compromised user accounts.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to Adobe Illustrator versions that contain patches for CVE-2022-30646, typically versions 26.1.0 or later for the 26.x series and 25.5.0 or later for the 25.x series. System administrators should implement layered security controls including email filtering to prevent delivery of malicious files, network monitoring to detect suspicious file access patterns, and user education to raise awareness about the risks of opening untrusted design files. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, emphasizing the importance of defending against attacks that leverage application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code in user contexts. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify potential exposure points, while incident response procedures should be updated to include specific protocols for handling potential exploitation attempts related to this vulnerability.