CVE-2024-30275: Adobe Aero Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2024-30275 Overview

CVE-2024-30275 is a Use After Free vulnerability [CWE-416] affecting Adobe Aero Desktop versions 23.4 and earlier. The flaw can lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction: a victim must open a malicious file crafted by the attacker.

Adobe published the issue on May 16, 2024, in security bulletin APSB24-33. The vulnerability affects both Windows and macOS installations of Adobe Aero.

Critical Impact
A successful exploit allows arbitrary code execution as the logged-in user, enabling attackers to install programs, modify data, or create new accounts with the victim's privileges.

Affected Products

Adobe Aero Desktop 23.4 and earlier
Apple macOS installations of Adobe Aero
Microsoft Windows installations of Adobe Aero

Discovery Timeline

2024-05-16 - CVE-2024-30275 published to NVD
2024-05-16 - Adobe releases security bulletin APSB24-33
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-30275

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a Use After Free [CWE-416] condition in Adobe Aero Desktop. Use After Free flaws occur when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed. Attackers can manipulate the freed memory region to control program flow.

Exploitation requires the victim to open a malicious file in Adobe Aero. Once opened, the malformed content triggers the memory corruption during parsing or rendering. The resulting dangling pointer can be leveraged to execute attacker-controlled code within the user's process.

The attack executes locally and yields high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The attacker gains the same privileges as the user running Adobe Aero.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper memory management within Adobe Aero's file handling routines. An object is freed while a reference to it remains in use. When the program later dereferences the stale pointer, memory the attacker has reclaimed and populated is treated as a valid object.

Adobe has not published detailed technical analysis of the specific component affected. See the Adobe Security Bulletin APSB24-33 for vendor guidance.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. An attacker crafts a malicious Aero-compatible file and delivers it through phishing email, malicious websites, or shared storage. When the victim opens the file with Adobe Aero, the Use After Free is triggered.

Exploitation code is executed with the privileges of the user running Adobe Aero. No network access to the target is required beyond delivering the file.

No public proof-of-concept or exploit code was identified for CVE-2024-30275 at the time of writing. The CVE is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-30275

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected Adobe Aero (Aero.exe on Windows, Aero process on macOS) child processes spawning shells, scripting engines, or rundll32
Crashes or abnormal termination of Adobe Aero shortly after opening an unfamiliar file
Adobe Aero writing executables or scripts to user-writable directories such as %APPDATA%, %TEMP%, or ~/Library/Caches
Inbound Aero project files (.real, .aero) delivered through email attachments or untrusted downloads

Detection Strategies

Monitor process ancestry for Adobe Aero spawning unexpected children such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, bash, or osascript
Alert on Adobe Aero performing outbound network connections that deviate from Adobe telemetry and update endpoints
Track file opens of Aero project files originating from mail clients, browsers, or removable media
Correlate Adobe Aero crash events with subsequent process creation or file write activity on the same host

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest endpoint process, file, and network telemetry into a centralized data lake for correlation across Windows and macOS hosts
Baseline normal Adobe Aero behavior in your environment and alert on deviations from that baseline
Enable audit logging for user-initiated file opens on workstations used by design and creative teams
Review email gateway logs for attachments matching Adobe Aero file extensions sent from untrusted senders

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-30275

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Adobe Aero Desktop to the fixed version listed in Adobe Security Bulletin APSB24-33
Inventory all endpoints running Adobe Aero and prioritize systems belonging to users who handle external files
Instruct users to open Aero files only from trusted senders and verified sources until patching is complete
Block delivery of Aero project file types at the email gateway from external senders where feasible

Patch Information

Adobe published fixes in security bulletin APSB24-33 on May 16, 2024. Administrators should update Adobe Aero Desktop to a version later than 23.4 on both Windows and macOS. Refer to the Adobe Security Bulletin APSB24-33 for exact fixed version numbers and download instructions.

Workarounds

Restrict Adobe Aero usage to users with a documented business need until patching is complete
Enforce application allowlisting to prevent Adobe Aero from launching unexpected child processes
Apply operating system exploit mitigations such as Data Execution Prevention and Address Space Layout Randomization on all endpoints running Aero
Run Adobe Aero under standard user accounts rather than administrator accounts to limit post-exploitation impact

bash

# Windows: verify installed Adobe Aero version
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*" `
  | Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like "*Adobe Aero*" } `
  | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion

# macOS: verify installed Adobe Aero version
mdls -name kMDItemVersion "/Applications/Adobe Aero.app"