CVE-2024-20753: Adobe Photoshop RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-20753 Overview

CVE-2024-20753 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability affecting Adobe Photoshop Desktop that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability occurs when parsing a specially crafted file, allowing a read operation past the end of an allocated memory structure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could execute code in the context of the current user, potentially gaining complete control over the affected system.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Attackers can craft malicious image files that, when opened by a victim, trigger the out-of-bounds read condition leading to code execution.

Affected Products

• Adobe Photoshop versions 24.7.3 and earlier
• Adobe Photoshop versions 25.7 and earlier
• Affected on both Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS platforms

Discovery Timeline

• June 13, 2024 - CVE-2024-20753 published to NVD
• November 21, 2024 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-20753

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-125 (Out-of-Bounds Read), a memory corruption vulnerability that occurs when software reads data past the end or before the beginning of an intended buffer. In the context of Adobe Photoshop, the flaw manifests during the parsing of specially crafted files.

When Photoshop processes certain file formats, the parsing routine fails to properly validate buffer boundaries before performing read operations. This allows an attacker to craft a malicious file that triggers a read beyond the allocated memory structure. While out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities are often associated with information disclosure, this particular instance can be leveraged for code execution due to how the read data influences subsequent program execution flow.

The attack requires local access and user interaction—specifically, a victim must open a malicious file. This could be achieved through social engineering tactics such as phishing emails containing malicious attachments or luring users to download crafted files from compromised websites.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-20753 is improper bounds checking during file parsing operations in Adobe Photoshop. The application fails to validate that read operations stay within the allocated memory boundaries when processing certain file structures. This lack of proper input validation allows crafted files to manipulate the parser into reading memory beyond intended limits, which can subsequently be leveraged for code execution.

Attack Vector

The attack requires local access with user interaction. An attacker must craft a malicious file and convince a victim to open it in Adobe Photoshop. Common attack scenarios include:

The vulnerability is exploited locally when a user opens a maliciously crafted file. Attackers may distribute these files through phishing campaigns, compromised download sites, or by embedding them in seemingly legitimate project files. Once opened, the malformed file data triggers the out-of-bounds read condition during parsing, which the attacker can leverage to achieve code execution with the privileges of the current user.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-20753

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected crashes or abnormal behavior in Adobe Photoshop when opening files from untrusted sources
• Suspicious file types with non-standard or malformed internal structures being opened by Photoshop
• Process execution chains where Photoshop spawns unexpected child processes
• Memory access violations logged in system event logs associated with Photoshop processes

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for unusual process behavior from Photoshop.exe on Windows or Adobe Photoshop on macOS, particularly unexpected child process creation
• Implement application whitelisting and file type validation for documents opened by creative applications
• Deploy endpoint detection rules to identify memory corruption exploitation attempts targeting Adobe applications
• Enable detailed logging for application crashes and analyze crash dumps for signs of exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor Adobe Photoshop process behavior for anomalies
• Implement file integrity monitoring for directories commonly used for downloads and email attachments
• Set up alerts for Photoshop processes accessing unusual system resources or network connections
• Review crash reports and Windows Error Reporting data for patterns indicating exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-20753

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Adobe Photoshop to the latest patched versions immediately (versions newer than 24.7.3 for the 24.x branch or newer than 25.7 for the 25.x branch)
• Implement user awareness training to prevent opening files from untrusted sources
• Configure email gateways to scan and quarantine potentially malicious file attachments
• Restrict download sources and implement application control policies

Patch Information

Adobe has released security updates to address this vulnerability as documented in security bulletin APSB24-27. Users should update to the latest available version of Adobe Photoshop through the Creative Cloud application or by downloading updates directly from Adobe. Refer to the Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-27 for complete patch details and affected version information.

Workarounds

• Exercise extreme caution when opening files from unknown or untrusted sources until patches can be applied
• Implement sandboxing solutions to isolate Adobe Photoshop from critical system resources
• Consider using virtual environments for processing files from external sources
• Enable enhanced security features in endpoint protection solutions to detect exploitation attempts

# Verify Adobe Photoshop version on Windows (PowerShell)
# Check if vulnerable version is installed
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*" | 
Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like "*Photoshop*" } | 
Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion

# Verify installed version via Creative Cloud CLI
# Ensure version is newer than 24.7.3 (24.x branch) or 25.7 (25.x branch)