CVE-2024-47417: Adobe Animate Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2024-47417 Overview

CVE-2024-47417 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability affecting Adobe Animate versions 23.0.7, 24.0.4, and earlier. The flaw allows arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user when a victim opens a malicious file. Exploitation requires user interaction, limiting mass exploitation scenarios but remaining viable for targeted attacks against designers and content creators. Adobe published the fix in security bulletin APSB24-76. The vulnerability maps to [CWE-122] Heap-based Buffer Overflow and [CWE-787] Out-of-bounds Write.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation results in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running Adobe Animate, enabling attackers to install malware, exfiltrate data, or pivot within the environment.

Affected Products

Adobe Animate 23.0.7 and earlier
Adobe Animate 24.0.4 and earlier
Runs on Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS platforms

Discovery Timeline

2024-10-09 - CVE-2024-47417 published to NVD
2024-10-09 - Adobe releases security bulletin APSB24-76
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-47417

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a heap-based buffer overflow triggered when Adobe Animate parses a malformed project or asset file. When the application allocates a heap buffer to hold file-derived data, insufficient size validation allows attacker-controlled input to write beyond the allocated region. The overflow corrupts adjacent heap metadata or object pointers, which the attacker can leverage to redirect execution flow.

Because the process runs with the interactive user's privileges, successful exploitation yields code execution at that privilege level. On workstations where designers operate with local administrator rights, the impact expands to full host compromise. The attack requires the victim to open a crafted file, so distribution typically occurs via phishing, watering-hole sites, or supply-chain contamination of shared asset libraries.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or incorrect bounds checking during the deserialization of untrusted file content into a fixed-size heap buffer. The parser trusts a length or offset field from the file without validating it against the actual allocation, producing an out-of-bounds write ([CWE-787]).

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. An attacker crafts a malicious Animate file, delivers it through email, chat, or a compromised repository, and the victim opens it in a vulnerable Animate build. No network exposure is involved, and no elevated privileges are required prior to exploitation. See the Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-76 for vendor-supplied technical details.

// No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available for CVE-2024-47417.
// Refer to Adobe advisory APSB24-76 for vendor guidance.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-47417

Indicators of Compromise

Adobe Animate (Animate.exe on Windows, Adobe Animate on macOS) spawning unexpected child processes such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or /bin/sh.
Crash reports or Windows Error Reporting entries citing heap corruption in Animate modules.
Unusual outbound network connections from the Animate process shortly after a file open event.

Detection Strategies

Hunt for Animate processes writing executables or scripts to user-writable paths such as %APPDATA%, %TEMP%, or ~/Library/Application Support/.
Correlate file-open telemetry for Animate project files (.fla, .xfl) delivered from email attachments or browser downloads with subsequent suspicious process activity.
Monitor for exploitation-typical post-exec behavior: credential access, LSASS reads, or discovery commands originating from the Animate process tree.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable EDR process-tree recording on hosts running Adobe Creative Cloud applications.
Alert on Adobe Animate processes loading unsigned or unusual DLLs on Windows and unsigned dylibs on macOS.
Track application version telemetry to identify endpoints still running Animate 23.0.7, 24.0.4, or earlier.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-47417

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Adobe Animate to the fixed versions listed in Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-76.
Inventory all endpoints running Adobe Animate and prioritize creative and design workstations for patching.
Instruct users to reject Animate files from untrusted sources and to verify senders before opening project files.

Patch Information

Adobe addressed CVE-2024-47417 in security bulletin APSB24-76, published October 9, 2024. Users must update Adobe Animate through the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application to a version later than 23.0.7 or 24.0.4. Full patch details are available in the Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-76.

Workarounds

Restrict opening of Animate project files to files originating from verified internal repositories.
Run Adobe Animate under a standard user account rather than a local administrator to limit blast radius.
Apply application allow-listing to prevent child-process execution of shells and scripting hosts from Animate.exe.

bash

# Windows: verify installed Adobe Animate version
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Animate" /s | findstr /I "Version"

# macOS: verify installed Adobe Animate version
defaults read "/Applications/Adobe Animate 2024/Adobe Animate 2024.app/Contents/Info.plist" CFBundleShortVersionString