CVE-2024-34136 in Illustrator
Summary
by MITRE • 08/14/2024
Illustrator versions 28.5, 27.9.4 and earlier are affected by a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability that could lead to an application denial-of-service (DoS). An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to crash the application, resulting in a denial of service condition. 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 • 03/15/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-34136 represents a critical NULL Pointer Dereference flaw within Adobe Illustrator software versions 28.5, 27.9.4, and earlier releases. This security weakness resides in the application's handling of malformed or specially crafted file inputs that can trigger unexpected behavior during processing. The vulnerability manifests when the software attempts to access a memory location that has not been properly initialized, resulting in a crash condition that terminates the application's execution. The flaw specifically affects the file parsing mechanism within Illustrator's core processing engine, where insufficient input validation allows malicious payloads to bypass normal execution flows and cause system instability.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates as a classic null pointer dereference condition that falls under CWE-476, which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereferences in software implementations. The attack vector requires user interaction through the opening of a malicious file, making it a user-triggered vulnerability rather than an automated exploit. When an unsuspecting user opens a crafted file, the Illustrator application processes the malformed data structure and attempts to dereference a null pointer, leading to immediate application termination. This behavior aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1203, which describes the exploitation of software vulnerabilities through user interaction to achieve denial-of-service conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, as it can disrupt creative workflows and potentially impact business operations where Illustrator is a critical component of design processes. The denial-of-service condition prevents users from accessing their design files and can result in data loss if the application crashes during unsaved work. Organizations relying on Illustrator for graphic design, publishing, or creative production may experience significant downtime and productivity loss. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill from attackers, as it only necessitates the delivery of a malicious file to a target user, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently open compromised files.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-34136 should prioritize immediate software updates from Adobe, as the vendor has likely released patches addressing this specific NULL pointer dereference issue. Organizations should implement strict file validation protocols, including sandboxing mechanisms for file processing and content scanning before opening potentially malicious files. Network-level controls such as email filtering and web proxy configurations can help prevent the delivery of malicious files to end users. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of only opening files from trusted sources and maintaining awareness of social engineering tactics that might deliver malicious payloads. System administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict the execution of unauthorized software versions and establish robust backup procedures to minimize data loss during potential exploitation events.