CVE-2023-22246 in Animate
Summary
by MITRE • 02/18/2023
Adobe Animate versions 22.0.8 (and earlier) and 23.0.0 (and earlier) are affected by a Use After Free 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 • 09/27/2025
Adobe Animate suffers from a critical use after free vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-22246 affecting versions 22.0.8 and earlier, as well as 23.0.0 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of specific file formats and represents a classic memory safety issue that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code. The flaw occurs when the software attempts to access memory that has already been freed, creating a scenario where an attacker can manipulate the program's memory state to inject and execute malicious instructions. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-416 which specifically addresses use after free conditions in software implementations. The exploitation of this vulnerability requires social engineering to convince a user to open a specially crafted malicious file, making it a targeted attack vector that relies on user interaction rather than automated exploitation.
The technical impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution as it provides attackers with the ability to operate within the security context of the currently logged-in user. This means that any malicious code executed through this vulnerability would have the same privileges and access rights as the legitimate user, potentially allowing for complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects Adobe Animate's file parsing mechanisms, particularly when processing certain elements within SWF files or other supported formats, where improper memory management leads to the use of freed memory blocks. Attackers can leverage this condition to overwrite memory locations with malicious payloads, potentially leading to privilege escalation or persistent access to the affected system. The attack surface is limited to user interaction but remains significant given the widespread use of Adobe Animate for multimedia content creation and the potential for distributing malicious files through various channels.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a substantial risk for organizations that rely on Adobe Animate for content development, as it can be exploited through seemingly legitimate file attachments or downloads. The requirement for user interaction means that traditional security controls like network-based firewalls or intrusion detection systems may not prevent exploitation, making user education and awareness critical components of defense. Organizations should consider implementing additional controls such as application whitelisting, sandboxing environments for file processing, and strict email filtering to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently open malicious files through phishing campaigns or compromised websites. Security teams must also be prepared to respond quickly to potential exploitation attempts and should monitor for unusual activity patterns that might indicate successful compromise of systems running vulnerable versions of Adobe Animate.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-22246 should prioritize immediate software updates to the latest versions of Adobe Animate where the vulnerability has been patched. Organizations should also implement layered security controls including email filtering solutions that can identify and block suspicious file attachments, network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, and regular security awareness training to help users recognize and avoid potentially malicious files. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) indicates that it fits within the broader category of attacks targeting client-side applications, making it important for security teams to monitor for similar patterns in other applications. Additionally, organizations should conduct vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running vulnerable versions and establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle potential exploitation of this type of memory corruption vulnerability. Regular patch management processes should be strengthened to ensure rapid deployment of security updates across all endpoints that utilize Adobe Animate or similar multimedia applications.