CVE-2023-48627 in Substance 3D Sampler
Summary
by MITRE • 12/13/2023
Adobe Substance 3D Sampler versions 4.2.1 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 • 01/06/2024
Adobe Substance 3D Sampler version 4.2.1 and earlier contains a critical out-of-bounds write vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for users of this 3D asset creation and editing software. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write classification, which occurs when a program writes data past the end of a buffer, potentially corrupting adjacent memory locations and enabling arbitrary code execution. The flaw exists within the application's handling of specially crafted files, specifically in how it processes certain file formats during the loading process. The vulnerability requires user interaction to exploit, meaning an attacker must convince a victim to open a maliciously crafted file, which aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution. This user interaction requirement suggests the attack vector likely involves social engineering tactics such as phishing emails containing malicious files or compromised websites distributing the malicious content.
The technical implications of this vulnerability are severe as out-of-bounds write conditions can lead to memory corruption that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the currently logged-in user. This means that if successfully exploited, an attacker could gain complete control over the victim's system without requiring administrator privileges. The vulnerability affects the application's file parsing functionality, specifically when it attempts to process malformed or specially crafted input files that exceed expected buffer boundaries. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to potentially enable privilege escalation attacks, as the attacker could leverage the compromised application to perform actions that would normally require elevated permissions. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may have access to sensitive data and systems.
Organizations and individual users should prioritize immediate mitigation measures to protect against exploitation of this vulnerability. Adobe has released patches and updates for Substance 3D Sampler that address this specific out-of-bounds write issue, making it critical to apply these security updates as soon as possible. System administrators should implement application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted files and consider deploying sandboxing solutions to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Users should exercise extreme caution when opening files from untrusted sources and maintain awareness of social engineering techniques that could be employed to deliver malicious payloads. The vulnerability's requirement for user interaction provides a window of opportunity for defensive measures, as users can be trained to recognize suspicious file attachments and avoid opening unknown files. Additionally, network-level security controls such as intrusion detection systems and web proxies can be configured to block known malicious file types and suspicious download activities, providing an additional layer of protection against exploitation attempts.