CVE-2024-20750 Overview
CVE-2024-20750 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability affecting Adobe Substance 3D Designer versions 13.1.0 and earlier. The flaw occurs when the application parses a crafted file, causing a read past the end of an allocated memory structure. An attacker can leverage this issue to execute code in the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically that a victim opens a malicious file. Adobe addressed the issue in security bulletin APSB24-13.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation enables arbitrary code execution in the current user's context through a malicious project or asset file.
Affected Products
- Adobe Substance 3D Designer 13.1.0
- Adobe Substance 3D Designer prior to 13.1.0
- Windows and macOS installations of the affected versions
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-02-15 - CVE-2024-20750 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-20750
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is classified as an out-of-bounds read [CWE-125]. Substance 3D Designer parses complex 3D asset and project file formats. When processing a specifically crafted file, the parser reads memory beyond the bounds of an allocated buffer. This exposes adjacent process memory and can corrupt program state used for control flow decisions. Combined with the process context, the resulting condition can be escalated to arbitrary code execution on the workstation running the application.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or insufficient bounds validation during file parsing. The parser trusts size or offset fields from the input file without confirming they remain within the allocated structure. Reading past the buffer end returns undefined memory contents to the parser, which then uses that data in subsequent operations. This class of flaw commonly appears in native code that handles binary asset formats without hardened length checks.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. An attacker crafts a malicious Substance 3D Designer project or asset file and delivers it through phishing, a shared repository, a marketplace, or a compromised supply chain. When the user opens the file in Designer, the vulnerable parser processes the malicious structures. No elevated privileges are required to trigger the flaw. Code executes with the permissions of the logged-in user, giving the attacker a foothold for credential theft, lateral movement, or persistence.
No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-20750
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes or hangs of Adobe Substance 3D Designer.exe immediately after opening a project or asset file
- Substance 3D Designer spawning child processes such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or scripting hosts
- Substance 3D Designer initiating outbound network connections to untrusted hosts after file open
- Substance 3D Designer files (.sbs, .sbsar) received from external sources through email or messaging
Detection Strategies
- Monitor process ancestry to flag any interactive shell or scripting host launched by Substance 3D Designer
- Alert on Substance 3D Designer writing executable files, DLLs, or scheduled task entries to disk
- Inspect email and web gateways for Substance file formats delivered from external senders
- Correlate application crash telemetry with subsequent process creation or persistence events on the same host
Monitoring Recommendations
- Track installed versions of Substance 3D Designer across creative workstations and flag anything at or below 13.1.0
- Ingest endpoint EDR telemetry for image loads and command lines under the Designer process
- Review file-open events on artist and designer endpoints for files sourced from untrusted locations
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-20750
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Substance 3D Designer to the version listed in Adobe security bulletin APSB24-13
- Inventory all workstations running Substance 3D Designer 13.1.0 or earlier and prioritize them for patching
- Instruct users to open Substance files only from trusted internal repositories until patching completes
- Enable application allowlisting policies that restrict child-process creation from creative applications
Patch Information
Adobe released fixed versions as documented in APSB24-13. Administrators should deploy the update through their standard software distribution channel and verify version strings on endpoints after deployment. The advisory is the authoritative source for the fixed build numbers and download locations.
Workarounds
- Block Substance 3D Designer file types (.sbs, .sbsar) at email and web gateways for external senders
- Run Substance 3D Designer under a standard, non-administrative user account to limit post-exploitation impact
- Segment creative workstations from sensitive corporate systems to contain compromise if exploitation succeeds
- Disable auto-open behavior for downloaded Substance files and require manual review before opening
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
