CVE-2024-30314: Adobe Dreamweaver RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-30314 Overview

CVE-2024-30314 affects Adobe Dreamweaver Desktop versions 21.3 and earlier. The vulnerability stems from Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command, classified as [CWE-78]. An attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution on the host running the vulnerable Dreamweaver installation. Exploitation requires user interaction, meaning the victim must open a crafted file or perform an action that triggers the injection path. The vulnerability affects Dreamweaver on both Apple macOS and Microsoft Windows platforms. Adobe published guidance in the Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-39.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2024-30314 results in arbitrary OS command execution in the context of the user running Dreamweaver, leading to full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the local system.

Affected Products

Adobe Dreamweaver Desktop versions 21.3 and earlier
Adobe Dreamweaver on Apple macOS
Adobe Dreamweaver on Microsoft Windows

Discovery Timeline

2024-05-16 - CVE-2024-30314 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-30314

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2024-30314 is an OS Command Injection vulnerability in Adobe Dreamweaver Desktop. Dreamweaver constructs and executes operating system commands using input that is not properly neutralized. When an attacker controls that input, injected shell metacharacters or command separators are passed to the underlying operating system for execution. The result is arbitrary code execution in the security context of the user running Dreamweaver. Because the attack vector is local and requires user interaction, exploitation typically involves persuading a Dreamweaver user to open a crafted project, site definition, extension, or file that steers input into the vulnerable command construction path.

Root Cause

The root cause is a failure to sanitize or safely parameterize special characters, such as ;, &, |, backticks, and $(...) sequences, before they are incorporated into a command line executed by the operating system. This maps directly to [CWE-78] Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command. Instead of invoking child processes with argument arrays that avoid shell interpretation, the affected code path allows attacker-controlled data to alter the structure of the executed command.

Attack Vector

An attacker crafts a Dreamweaver artifact containing malicious content designed to reach the vulnerable command construction routine. The victim opens or interacts with the artifact inside Dreamweaver, satisfying the user interaction requirement. Dreamweaver then passes the tainted value to the operating system shell, and the attacker's injected command executes with the privileges of the current user. See the Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-39 for vendor-supplied technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-30314

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, /bin/sh, or /bin/bash spawned by the Dreamweaver executable.
Dreamweaver process launching network utilities (curl, wget, certutil, bitsadmin) shortly after a user opens a file or site.
New scheduled tasks, launch agents, or persistence entries created in the same session as Dreamweaver activity.
Outbound connections from Dreamweaver child processes to untrusted domains or IP addresses.

Detection Strategies

Establish a process-lineage baseline for Dreamweaver and alert on any deviation involving shell interpreters or scripting hosts.
Hunt EDR telemetry for command lines containing shell metacharacters (;, &&, ||, |, backticks, $()) where the parent process is Dreamweaver.
Correlate Dreamweaver file-open events with subsequent process creation and network activity to detect user-interaction-triggered exploitation.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable command-line and process-creation logging on Windows (Sysmon Event ID 1, Security Event ID 4688) and macOS Endpoint Security equivalents.
Forward endpoint telemetry to a centralized data lake or SIEM to enable retroactive hunting for Dreamweaver-parented shell activity.
Review deployed Dreamweaver versions across managed endpoints and flag any host running version 21.3 or earlier.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-30314

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Adobe Dreamweaver Desktop to the fixed release identified in Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-39.
Inventory endpoints for Dreamweaver 21.3 and earlier, and prioritize patching on developer and content-authoring workstations.
Instruct users to avoid opening Dreamweaver project files, site definitions, or extensions received from untrusted sources.

Patch Information

Adobe released fixed builds of Dreamweaver Desktop as documented in Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-39. Administrators should apply the update through Adobe Creative Cloud or the enterprise deployment channel used to distribute Adobe products.

Workarounds

Restrict which file types and locations Dreamweaver users can open, using application control or file-source policies.
Run Dreamweaver as a standard user rather than an administrator to limit the impact of arbitrary command execution.
Apply application allow-listing to prevent Dreamweaver from spawning shell interpreters or scripting hosts when no patch window is available.

bash

# Example: query installed Dreamweaver version on Windows (PowerShell)
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*" |
  Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like "Adobe Dreamweaver*" } |
  Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, InstallLocation

# Example: query installed Dreamweaver version on macOS
mdls -name kMDItemVersion "/Applications/Adobe Dreamweaver 2021/Adobe Dreamweaver 2021.app"