CVE-2024-47428: Adobe Substance 3D Painter RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-47428 Overview

CVE-2024-47428 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability [CWE-787] in Adobe Substance 3D Painter versions 10.1.0 and earlier. An attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user by convincing a victim to open a crafted file. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction, which limits large-scale attacks but remains viable through social engineering and supply-chain distribution of 3D asset files.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation yields arbitrary code execution under the privileges of the user running Substance 3D Painter, enabling malware installation, credential theft, or lateral movement from the affected workstation.

Affected Products

Adobe Substance 3D Painter 10.1.0
Adobe Substance 3D Painter versions earlier than 10.1.0
Windows and macOS installations of the affected builds

Discovery Timeline

2024-11-12 - CVE-2024-47428 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-47428

Vulnerability Analysis

The flaw is an out-of-bounds write in the file-parsing logic of Substance 3D Painter. When the application processes a malformed input file, it writes data past the intended boundary of an allocated buffer. This memory corruption can overwrite adjacent structures, function pointers, or heap metadata used by the process.

An attacker who controls the layout of the corrupted memory region can redirect execution flow and run arbitrary code. Because Substance 3D Painter typically runs with standard user privileges, code executes in the user's security context and inherits their access to local files, network shares, and cloud sessions. Exploitation is local (AV:L) and requires the victim to open a malicious project or asset file.

Root Cause

The underlying weakness is classified as [CWE-787] Out-of-Bounds Write. The parser fails to validate size or index values derived from attacker-controlled fields in the input file before performing a write operation. This missing bounds check allows crafted data to overflow the target buffer.

Attack Vector

Attackers deliver a weaponized Substance 3D project file, texture, or supported asset through email attachments, shared repositories of 3D content, or compromised asset marketplaces. When the target opens the file in a vulnerable version, the parser triggers the out-of-bounds write and executes the attacker's payload. No network exposure of the product is required.

No public proof-of-concept exploit or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported. See the Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-86 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-47428

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by Substance 3D Painter.exe or the macOS equivalent, particularly command shells, scripting engines, or rundll32.exe.
Substance 3D Painter crashes or Windows Error Reporting entries correlated with opening third-party project files.
Outbound network connections originating from the Substance 3D Painter process to untrusted hosts.
Newly created executables or scheduled tasks in the user profile shortly after Painter opens an external asset.

Detection Strategies

Monitor process-lineage telemetry for Substance 3D Painter spawning interpreters (powershell.exe, cmd.exe, wscript.exe, bash).
Alert on file-write operations by Painter that target autorun locations, startup folders, or system directories.
Inspect email and file-sharing gateways for Substance 3D project files (.spp, .spt, .sbsar) delivered from external senders.

Monitoring Recommendations

Maintain an inventory of hosts running Substance 3D Painter and their installed versions.
Forward endpoint process, file, and network telemetry to a centralized analytics platform for correlation.
Track user-initiated opens of 3D asset files sourced from outside sanctioned repositories.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-47428

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Substance 3D Painter to the fixed release identified in Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-86.
Enumerate affected workstations and prioritize creative and design teams that routinely open externally sourced 3D assets.
Restrict opening of Substance 3D project files received from untrusted sources until patching is complete.

Patch Information

Adobe released a patched version of Substance 3D Painter that addresses the out-of-bounds write. Administrators should consult the Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-86 for the exact fixed version and download links, then deploy the update through standard software management workflows.

Workarounds

Block or quarantine Substance 3D project and asset files at email and web gateways when they originate from external senders.
Run Substance 3D Painter under a standard user account without local administrator rights to reduce post-exploitation impact.
Enforce application allowlisting so that unexpected child processes spawned by Painter are blocked from executing.

bash

# Example: enumerate installed Substance 3D Painter versions on Windows endpoints
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*" |
  Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like "*Substance 3D Painter*" } |
  Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, InstallLocation