CVE-2024-20752: Adobe Bridge RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-20752 Overview

CVE-2024-20752 is a Use After Free vulnerability [CWE-416] in Adobe Bridge versions 13.0.5, 14.0.1 and earlier. The flaw allows arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user when a victim opens a malicious file. The vulnerability affects Adobe Bridge deployments on both Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS. Exploitation requires user interaction, so attackers must convince a target to open a crafted Bridge project or asset file. Adobe published advisory APSB24-15 on March 12, 2024, addressing this issue alongside other Bridge vulnerabilities. The EPSS score is 7.758% with a percentile of 94.073, indicating elevated likelihood of exploitation attempts relative to most published CVEs.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation grants arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the logged-in user, enabling malware installation, data theft, or lateral movement from compromised creative workstations.

Affected Products

Adobe Bridge 13.0.5 and earlier 13.x versions
Adobe Bridge 14.0.1 and earlier 14.x versions
Adobe Bridge on Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS

Discovery Timeline

2024-03-18 - CVE-2024-20752 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-20752

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2024-20752 is a Use After Free condition [CWE-416] in Adobe Bridge. Use After Free vulnerabilities occur when an application continues to reference memory after that memory has been released back to the allocator. When the freed memory is reallocated for another object, subsequent operations on the dangling pointer corrupt program state. Attackers who can influence the contents of the reallocated region often gain control over function pointers, virtual method tables, or object metadata. In Bridge, this control can be converted into arbitrary code execution in the user's process context.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper lifetime management of a heap-allocated object within Adobe Bridge's file parsing or rendering path. When Bridge processes a specially crafted asset, an internal reference to the freed object is dereferenced during a later operation. The dangling pointer read or write occurs before any safety check validates the object state.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. An attacker crafts a malicious file compatible with Adobe Bridge and delivers it through phishing, a shared network location, or a compromised asset library. When the victim opens the file in Bridge, the application triggers the vulnerable code path. Because Bridge runs with the user's privileges, code execution inherits those permissions. Refer to the Adobe Security Update APSB24-15 for technical acknowledgments and version details.

No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available for CVE-2024-20752.
See the Adobe advisory APSB24-15 for authoritative technical guidance.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-20752

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by Adobe Bridge.exe or Adobe Bridge on macOS, particularly command interpreters such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or /bin/sh.
Crash dumps or Windows Error Reporting entries referencing Adobe Bridge with access violation exceptions on heap addresses.
Delivery of uncommon or malformed asset files (for example XMP, INDD, or PSD variants) from external email or shared drives immediately preceding Bridge crashes.

Detection Strategies

Monitor for Adobe Bridge processes performing network connections, writing executables to disk, or modifying registry Run keys, all of which are atypical for a media browser.
Correlate file-open telemetry in Bridge with subsequent process creation events to identify exploitation chains.
Deploy YARA rules that flag anomalous structures in Bridge-supported file formats delivered via email gateways.

Monitoring Recommendations

Track installed Adobe Bridge versions across endpoints and alert on any host still running 13.0.5, 14.0.1, or earlier.
Enable enhanced process-creation logging (Windows Event ID 4688 with command line, or macOS Endpoint Security) on workstations used by creative teams.
Forward endpoint telemetry to a centralized data lake for retrospective hunting against Bridge-related exploitation patterns.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-20752

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Adobe Bridge to version 13.0.6 or 14.1.0 or later as directed by Adobe Security Update APSB24-15.
Inventory all endpoints where Adobe Bridge is installed and prioritize patching for users who routinely handle files from external sources.
Restrict opening of untrusted Bridge-compatible files and reinforce phishing awareness for creative and marketing teams.

Patch Information

Adobe released fixed builds in security bulletin APSB24-15. Update Adobe Bridge through the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application or by downloading the latest installer from Adobe. Verify the installed version through Help > About Adobe Bridge after patching.

Workarounds

Where patching is delayed, block delivery of Bridge-associated file types at the email gateway from untrusted senders.
Run Adobe Bridge under a standard user account rather than an administrator to reduce the blast radius of successful exploitation.
Apply application allow-listing so Bridge cannot launch script interpreters or unsigned binaries as child processes.

bash

# Query installed Adobe Bridge version on Windows endpoints
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall" /s /f "Adobe Bridge"

# Query installed Adobe Bridge version on macOS
mdls -name kMDItemVersion "/Applications/Adobe Bridge 2024/Adobe Bridge 2024.app"