CVE-2024-47411: Adobe Animate RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-47411 Overview

CVE-2024-47411 is an Access of Uninitialized Pointer vulnerability [CWE-824] affecting Adobe Animate versions 23.0.7, 24.0.4, and earlier. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. The flaw requires local user interaction, specifically a victim opening a crafted malicious file within Adobe Animate. Adobe published the fix in security advisory APSB24-76 on October 8, 2024.

Critical Impact
Attackers can achieve arbitrary code execution in the user context if a victim opens a malicious Animate file, potentially leading to full compromise of the affected workstation.

Affected Products

Adobe Animate 23.0.7 and earlier
Adobe Animate 24.0.4 and earlier
Deployments on Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS

Discovery Timeline

2024-10-09 - CVE-2024-47411 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-47411

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2024-47411 stems from an Access of Uninitialized Pointer condition inside Adobe Animate's file parsing logic. When Animate processes a specially crafted project file, code paths read from a pointer that was never assigned a valid memory address. The uninitialized pointer contains residual stack or heap data, which an attacker can influence through file contents.

Dereferencing this attacker-controlled value redirects program execution or memory access to a location under the attacker's influence. This condition typically enables arbitrary code execution in the process context of the logged-in user. Because Animate frequently runs under standard user privileges, successful exploitation yields the same rights as the current user session.

Exploitation requires user interaction. The victim must open the malicious file within Adobe Animate, so delivery vectors include phishing emails with attachments, malicious downloads, and shared design assets. The attack surface is local, but the payload can be staged remotely.

Root Cause

The root cause is failure to initialize a pointer variable before it is dereferenced during file parsing. The classification [CWE-824] describes access of a pointer that has not been assigned a valid target, resulting in undefined behavior that an attacker can weaponize by shaping the surrounding memory state through file inputs.

Attack Vector

An attacker crafts a malicious Adobe Animate file and delivers it to a target through email, chat, or a compromised website. When the victim opens the file in a vulnerable version of Animate, the parser triggers the uninitialized pointer access. The resulting control flow deviation executes attacker-supplied code with the user's privileges.

Detailed technical specifics have not been published. Refer to the Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-76 for vendor guidance.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-47411

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by Animate.exe on Windows or Adobe Animate on macOS, especially command shells, scripting hosts, or LOLBins.
Unsigned or newly written executables and DLLs in user-writable paths shortly after an Animate file is opened.
Adobe Animate initiating outbound network connections to unfamiliar hosts following file open events.

Detection Strategies

Monitor for process crashes in Animate.exe accompanied by exception codes indicative of access violations or pointer dereference faults.
Alert on Animate opening files from untrusted locations such as email attachment folders, Downloads directories, or removable media.
Correlate file open telemetry with subsequent process creation, file write, and network activity that deviates from normal design workflows.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable endpoint process telemetry and command-line auditing on workstations where Adobe Animate is installed.
Track Animate version inventory across managed endpoints to identify systems still running 23.0.7, 24.0.4, or earlier builds.
Ingest endpoint and email gateway logs into a central platform for correlation of malicious Animate file delivery attempts.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-47411

Immediate Actions Required

Update Adobe Animate to the patched releases identified in Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-76.
Inventory all endpoints running Adobe Animate and prioritize updates for users who routinely receive external design files.
Instruct users to avoid opening Animate project files from untrusted or unsolicited sources until patching is complete.

Patch Information

Adobe addressed CVE-2024-47411 in the updates listed under Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-76. Apply the vendor-recommended versions above 23.0.7 and 24.0.4 on both Windows and macOS installations. Use the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application to distribute the updates or leverage enterprise deployment tooling for managed fleets.

Workarounds

Restrict execution of Adobe Animate to trusted users and block opening of files from internet-sourced locations using application control policies.
Configure email gateways to quarantine Adobe Animate file types from external senders pending inspection.
Enforce standard-user privileges for design workstations to limit the blast radius of any successful exploitation.

bash

# Query installed Adobe Animate version on Windows via PowerShell
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*" |
  Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like "*Adobe Animate*" } |
  Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, InstallLocation