CVE-2026-75862 in Photoshop
Summary
by MITRE • 09/08/2026
Photoshop Desktop is affected by an Integer Overflow or Wraparound 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 • 09/08/2026
The Adobe Photoshop Desktop application contains a critical integer overflow or wraparound vulnerability within its core image processing engine, specifically affecting how memory buffers are allocated and managed during the parsing of complex graphic files. This flaw arises when the software fails to properly validate arithmetic operations related to buffer sizes before allocating heap memory. When an attacker crafts a malicious file containing specially constructed data that triggers this miscalculation, the application may allocate significantly less memory than required for subsequent write operations. This discrepancy leads to a classic heap-based buffer overflow condition where data written beyond the bounds of the allocated buffer corrupts adjacent memory structures on the heap.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability is categorized under CWE-190 Integer Overflow or Wraparound and often facilitates CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities in practice. The exploitation mechanism relies heavily on precise control over the heap layout to achieve arbitrary code execution. By manipulating the corrupted memory metadata, an attacker can overwrite function pointers or exception handling structures within the application process space. This allows for the redirection of program flow to shellcode injected into the vulnerable buffer or through other advanced techniques such as return-oriented programming if modern mitigations like DEP and ASLR are present but bypassable in specific contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, potentially resulting in complete compromise of the affected system under the context of the current user. Since Adobe Photoshop typically runs with standard user privileges rather than administrative rights, an attacker can gain unauthorized access to sensitive files stored within that user profile, including documents, images, and configuration settings. Furthermore, if the victim has elevated privileges or uses the application in a shared environment, the risk escalates significantly. The requirement for user interaction means this vulnerability is often leveraged in targeted spear-phishing campaigns where social engineering tactics are employed to trick users into opening maliciously crafted PSD or TIFF files disguised as legitimate assets.
Mitigation strategies must focus on both immediate remediation and long-term defensive posture updates. Users should immediately apply the latest security patches released by Adobe, which address these memory management flaws through improved input validation and bounds checking routines. In environments where patching is delayed due to compatibility concerns with legacy plugins or workflows, network-level controls such as deep packet inspection can be configured to detect and block suspicious file transfers containing known exploit signatures associated with this vulnerability class. Additionally, enabling application whitelisting policies that restrict the execution of unsigned code within Photoshop directories can reduce the attack surface by preventing shellcode from executing even if memory corruption is successfully achieved.
Security awareness training remains a critical component in mitigating risks posed by user-interaction-dependent vulnerabilities like this one. Employees should be educated to recognize indicators of malicious files, such as unexpected file extensions or sources that do not align with their expected workflow context. Implementing strict email filtering rules and sandboxing mechanisms for incoming attachments can further reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation attempts. Regular audits of installed plugins and third-party extensions are also recommended, as some may introduce additional attack vectors that compound the risks associated with core application vulnerabilities.
This incident highlights the importance of rigorous memory safety practices in software development, particularly in complex applications handling large binary data structures like image processing suites. The transition toward safer programming languages or the adoption of automated static analysis tools during the development lifecycle can help identify such integer arithmetic errors before they reach production environments. For organizations relying on Adobe Creative Cloud products, maintaining an up-to-date inventory of all installed components and ensuring automatic update mechanisms are enabled is essential to staying protected against newly disclosed vulnerabilities in frequently updated software ecosystems.