CVE-2024-52989: Adobe Animate RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-52989 Overview

CVE-2024-52989 is an integer underflow vulnerability [CWE-191] affecting Adobe Animate versions 23.0.8, 24.0.5, and earlier. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction: a victim must open a malicious file crafted by the attacker. Adobe addressed the vulnerability in security advisory APSB24-96.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation results in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running Adobe Animate on Windows or macOS systems.

Affected Products

Adobe Animate 23.0.8 and earlier
Adobe Animate 24.0.5 and earlier
Windows and macOS installations of Adobe Animate

Discovery Timeline

2024-12-10 - CVE-2024-52989 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-52989

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2024-52989 is an integer underflow (wrap or wraparound) vulnerability in Adobe Animate. Integer underflows occur when an arithmetic operation produces a value below the minimum representable integer, causing the value to wrap to a large positive number. In Animate, this condition can be triggered while parsing attacker-controlled data inside a malicious project or asset file. The resulting incorrect size or offset calculation leads to memory corruption during subsequent buffer or object operations. An attacker who chains the underflow with the corrupted memory access can redirect execution flow and run arbitrary code in the context of the current user.

Root Cause

The root cause is unchecked arithmetic on a size, length, or index field parsed from a file. When an attacker-supplied value drives a subtraction below zero, the result wraps to a large unsigned value. Downstream code then uses that value as a buffer size, loop counter, or memory offset, producing out-of-bounds memory access and exploitable corruption.

Attack Vector

Exploitation is local and requires user interaction. An attacker crafts a malicious Animate file (for example, an .fla or related asset) and delivers it through phishing, a file share, or a web download. When the victim opens the file in a vulnerable Animate build, the parser processes the malformed structure, triggers the underflow, and executes attacker-controlled code. No elevated privileges are required to launch the attack, and the resulting code runs with the victim user's rights.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently available, and the vulnerability is not listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-52989

Indicators of Compromise

Adobe Animate (Animate.exe on Windows or Adobe Animate.app on macOS) spawning unexpected child processes such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, wscript.exe, or shell interpreters.
Animate processes performing outbound network connections to unfamiliar hosts shortly after opening a document.
Untrusted .fla, .xfl, or related asset files delivered via email, chat, or web downloads and opened by end users.

Detection Strategies

Alert on Adobe Animate process trees that create new processes outside the expected editor workflow, especially script hosts and command shells.
Monitor for suspicious file writes by Animate to autorun locations such as %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup or LaunchAgents directories on macOS.
Correlate email or web gateway telemetry showing inbound Animate project files with subsequent endpoint execution events.

Monitoring Recommendations

Inventory endpoints running Adobe Animate and track installed versions against Adobe advisory APSB24-96.
Enable process, module load, and file write logging on workstations used for creative content production.
Forward endpoint and email gateway telemetry to a centralized analytics platform for correlation and retrospective hunting.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-52989

Immediate Actions Required

Update Adobe Animate to the fixed versions identified in Adobe security bulletin APSB24-96.
Restrict opening of Animate project files received from external or untrusted sources until patches are applied.
Enforce least-privilege user accounts so that any exploitation runs without administrative rights.

Patch Information

Adobe published fixes for CVE-2024-52989 in security advisory Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-96. Administrators should upgrade Animate 2023 and Animate 2024 to the fixed builds listed in the advisory on both Windows and macOS endpoints. Verify successful upgrade by checking the application's About dialog or the installed package version through software inventory tools.

Workarounds

If patching is delayed, block delivery of Animate project files at email and web gateways for users who do not require them.
Isolate creative workstations from sensitive network segments to limit lateral movement following successful exploitation.
Apply application allowlisting to restrict which child processes Adobe Animate is permitted to launch.

bash

# Verify 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

# Verify installed Adobe Animate version on macOS
mdls -name kMDItemVersion "/Applications/Adobe Animate 2024/Adobe Animate 2024.app"