CVE-2024-47450 Overview
CVE-2024-47450 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability affecting Adobe Illustrator versions 28.7.1 and earlier on Windows and macOS. Exploitation allows arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. The flaw requires user interaction: a victim must open a malicious file crafted to trigger the memory corruption. The vulnerability is tracked under [CWE-122] (Heap-based Buffer Overflow) and [CWE-787] (Out-of-Bounds Write).
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation grants attackers arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running Adobe Illustrator, enabling malware installation, data theft, or lateral movement from the compromised workstation.
Affected Products
- Adobe Illustrator 28.7.1 and earlier
- Apple macOS (all supported versions running vulnerable Illustrator builds)
- Microsoft Windows (all supported versions running vulnerable Illustrator builds)
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-11-12 - CVE-2024-47450 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-47450
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2024-47450 is a heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe Illustrator's file-parsing code. When Illustrator processes a specially crafted document, the application writes beyond the bounds of an allocated heap buffer. This out-of-bounds write corrupts adjacent heap metadata or object pointers used later in the process lifecycle.
An attacker who controls the overflowed data can steer execution toward attacker-supplied instructions. Because Illustrator runs with the current user's privileges, the resulting code execution inherits access to the user's files, credentials, and network resources. The Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-87 documents the fixed versions.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper validation of size or length values used when parsing untrusted file content into a heap buffer. The parser allocates a buffer based on one field and then copies data controlled by another field without enforcing the buffer boundary. This mismatch produces the [CWE-787] out-of-bounds write that overwrites adjacent heap structures.
Attack Vector
Exploitation is local and requires user interaction. The attacker delivers a malicious Illustrator-compatible file through email, a shared drive, a website download, or a supply chain compromise. When the victim opens the file in a vulnerable Illustrator build, the parser triggers the heap overflow. No verified proof-of-concept exploit is publicly available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
No verified code examples are available. See the Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-87 for vendor-provided technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-47450
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes of Illustrator.exe (Windows) or Adobe Illustrator (macOS) shortly after a user opens a document received from an untrusted source.
- Illustrator processes spawning child processes such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, wscript.exe, or shell interpreters on macOS.
- Illustrator writing executable content to user-writable directories or establishing outbound network connections to unfamiliar hosts.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor for anomalous process ancestry where Illustrator is the parent of scripting or shell interpreters.
- Flag Illustrator crashes correlated with recently opened .ai, .eps, .pdf, or other Illustrator-supported file formats delivered from external sources.
- Inspect email and web gateways for Illustrator-compatible attachments arriving from untrusted senders and quarantine for sandbox analysis.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Collect endpoint process, file, and network telemetry from workstations running Adobe Illustrator and forward it to a central analytics platform.
- Track installed Illustrator versions across the environment and alert on hosts still running 28.7.1 or earlier.
- Review Windows Error Reporting and macOS crash logs for repeated faults inside Illustrator modules that could indicate exploitation attempts.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-47450
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Adobe Illustrator to the fixed version listed in Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-87 on all Windows and macOS endpoints.
- Instruct users not to open Illustrator files from untrusted email, messaging, or web sources until patching is complete.
- Inventory all endpoints running Illustrator 28.7.1 or earlier and prioritize them for remediation.
Patch Information
Adobe released fixed builds of Illustrator alongside the APSB24-87 advisory on November 12, 2024. Administrators should deploy the updated version through the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application or enterprise deployment tooling. Verify the installed version after patching by checking Illustrator's About dialog or querying the application version through configuration management tools.
Workarounds
- Restrict Illustrator file associations so untrusted documents do not open automatically from mail clients or browsers.
- Run Illustrator under standard user accounts rather than administrative accounts to limit the blast radius of successful exploitation.
- Use application allow-listing and attack surface reduction rules to prevent Illustrator from spawning script interpreters or shells.
# Query installed Adobe Illustrator version on Windows via PowerShell
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*" |
Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like "*Illustrator*" } |
Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher
# Query installed Adobe Illustrator version on macOS
mdls -name kMDItemVersion "/Applications/Adobe Illustrator 2024/Adobe Illustrator.app"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
