CVE-2023-29319 in InDesign
Summary
by MITRE • 07/12/2023
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to bypass mitigations such as ASLR. 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 • 07/12/2023
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 and earlier as well as ID17.4.1 and earlier contain a critical out-of-bounds read vulnerability that represents a significant security risk to users of the software. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to information disclosure and potential privilege escalation. The flaw occurs when the application processes malformed or specially crafted input files, causing the software to access memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited to bypass important security mitigations such as Address Space Layout Randomization which is designed to make memory addresses unpredictable and therefore harder for attackers to target.
The technical execution of this vulnerability requires a user interaction component where a victim must open a maliciously crafted file within the InDesign application. This user interaction requirement aligns with the ATT&CK framework's technique T1203, which describes the exploitation of software vulnerabilities through user interaction. When an attacker successfully triggers this out-of-bounds read condition, the application may inadvertently expose sensitive memory contents including stack canaries, heap metadata, or other security-related information that could be leveraged to further compromise the system. The disclosed memory information could potentially reveal the memory layout of the process, which significantly weakens the effectiveness of modern exploit mitigations and makes subsequent exploitation attempts more feasible.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of systems running affected InDesign versions. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability could gain insights into the memory layout of running processes, potentially enabling them to craft more sophisticated attacks that bypass security controls. This includes the ability to defeat ASLR protections which are critical for preventing exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. The vulnerability affects both major release lines of InDesign, indicating it is a persistent flaw that has not been adequately addressed in the software's codebase, making it a particularly concerning issue for organizations that rely on InDesign for professional publishing work. Organizations using these affected versions should immediately implement mitigation strategies including software updates, user education, and file validation procedures to reduce the risk of exploitation.
The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and memory management practices in commercial software applications. Adobe's responsibility in addressing this issue includes not only providing timely patches but also ensuring that their software development lifecycle incorporates comprehensive security testing including fuzzing and memory safety analysis. The presence of such vulnerabilities in widely used creative applications highlights the need for organizations to maintain updated security practices and to consider the broader attack surface that exists when users interact with potentially malicious content within professional software environments. This particular vulnerability serves as a reminder that even applications used for creative work can present significant security risks when they process untrusted input data, requiring careful attention to memory safety and input validation throughout the software development process.