CVE-2024-20746 in Premiere Pro
Summary
by MITRE • 03/18/2024
Premiere Pro versions 24.1, 23.6.2 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 • 04/15/2025
Adobe Premiere Pro versions 24.1, 23.6.2 and earlier contain a critical out-of-bounds write vulnerability classified as CVE-2024-20746 that presents a significant security risk to users. This vulnerability exists within the application's handling of specific file formats and represents a fundamental flaw in memory management that could be exploited by malicious actors. The issue manifests as an out-of-bounds write condition where the software attempts to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries, creating potential for code execution. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only user interaction to exploit, meaning that a victim must simply open a maliciously crafted file to be compromised. This makes the attack vector highly practical and potentially widespread in real-world scenarios where users frequently open media files from various sources. The flaw directly maps to CWE-787, which describes out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities that occur when a program writes to memory locations outside the bounds of a buffer. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they can lead to arbitrary code execution, allowing attackers to gain complete control over the affected system. The exploitability of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves executing code through legitimate system processes, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional security measures. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to potentially enable privilege escalation and persistent access to compromised systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly validate file boundaries when processing specific media formats or metadata within project files. When Premiere Pro encounters a malformed or malicious file structure, the parsing routine fails to check buffer limits before writing data, allowing an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This memory corruption can be leveraged to overwrite function pointers, return addresses, or other critical program data structures, ultimately enabling code injection. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in the context of creative workflows where users often open files from external sources, collaborate on projects, or receive media assets from third parties. Attackers can craft specially designed project files or media elements that trigger the out-of-bounds write condition when opened by the vulnerable software. The exploitation process typically involves creating a file that appears legitimate but contains malicious data structures that cause the application to write beyond intended memory boundaries, potentially leading to a controlled crash or more sophisticated payload delivery.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-20746 extends far beyond individual user compromise to affect entire creative workflows and professional environments. Organizations that rely on Adobe Premiere Pro for video editing, post-production, and media creation are particularly vulnerable since these applications are frequently used in collaborative settings where file sharing is common. The requirement for user interaction makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in social engineering campaigns where attackers can convince users to open malicious files through phishing emails, compromised websites, or infected collaboration platforms. In professional settings, this vulnerability could lead to data breaches, intellectual property theft, or disruption of critical creative processes. The vulnerability also poses risks to supply chain security since compromised project files could be distributed through legitimate channels, affecting multiple users simultaneously. Security teams must consider the potential for this vulnerability to be used in targeted attacks against creative professionals, media organizations, or content creators who may be less security-aware. The exploitability of this vulnerability through simple file opening operations makes it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to establish persistent access to professional creative environments where valuable assets and sensitive information are stored.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies to protect against exploitation of CVE-2024-20746, beginning with immediate patch deployment for all affected Premiere Pro versions. Adobe has released security updates that address this vulnerability, and system administrators should prioritize rolling out these patches across all affected systems. Until patches are applied, users should exercise extreme caution when opening files from untrusted sources, particularly project files, media assets, or collaboration materials that may have been tampered with. Implementing application whitelisting controls can help prevent execution of untrusted files, while network-based security controls such as email filtering and web proxies should be configured to block suspicious file types associated with this vulnerability. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual file access patterns or attempts to open potentially malicious media files. Regular security awareness training for creative professionals is essential to help them recognize social engineering attempts that may involve exploiting this vulnerability. System administrators should also consider implementing sandboxing techniques for media file processing and establishing secure file handling protocols for collaborative environments. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution issue necessitates comprehensive incident response planning, including procedures for identifying and containing potential compromises, forensic analysis capabilities, and communication protocols for reporting security incidents. Organizations should also review their backup and recovery procedures to ensure they can restore systems compromised by this vulnerability without data loss.