CVE-2026-47964: DNG SDK Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2026-47964 Overview

CVE-2026-47964 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in Adobe Digital Negative (DNG) Software Development Kit versions 1.7.1 2536 and earlier. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction, as the victim must open a malicious DNG file. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow) and was disclosed by Adobe in security advisory APSB26-67.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation results in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user opening the malicious file, potentially leading to full compromise of the affected workstation.

Affected Products

Adobe DNG SDK 1.7.1 2536
Adobe DNG SDK versions earlier than 1.7.1 2536
Applications and workflows that embed the vulnerable DNG SDK for raw image processing

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-16 - CVE-2026-47964 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-47964

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Adobe's DNG SDK, a library used to read, write, and process Digital Negative raw image files. A heap-based buffer overflow [CWE-122] occurs when the SDK parses malformed DNG image data. When a crafted DNG file is processed, the SDK writes beyond the bounds of a heap-allocated buffer, corrupting adjacent memory structures.

An attacker who controls the contents of the overflow can overwrite function pointers, virtual table entries, or heap metadata. This corruption can be leveraged to redirect execution flow into attacker-controlled code. Because the DNG SDK is embedded in image processing applications, exploitation grants the attacker the privileges of the host application's user.

The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. A victim must open a malicious DNG file in an application that uses the vulnerable SDK. Confidentiality, integrity, and availability are all impacted.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient validation of size or length fields parsed from DNG file structures before heap memory is allocated or written. Maliciously crafted metadata or image segments cause the SDK to compute an incorrect buffer size or skip bounds checks during copy operations, resulting in out-of-bounds writes on the heap.

Attack Vector

An attacker crafts a malicious DNG file containing manipulated header fields, IFD entries, or image segment data. The file is delivered through email attachments, file shares, or web downloads. When the victim opens the file in an application linked against the vulnerable DNG SDK, the parser triggers the heap overflow and executes attacker-supplied shellcode. Refer to the Adobe Security Advisory APSB26-67 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-47964

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by applications that process DNG raw images, such as command shells or scripting interpreters
DNG files received from untrusted sources with anomalous size, structure, or metadata fields inconsistent with the DNG specification
Crashes or abnormal terminations in processes loading the DNG SDK, recorded in Windows Error Reporting or macOS crash logs
Outbound network connections initiated immediately after a DNG file is opened

Detection Strategies

Monitor process lineage for image viewers and editors invoking shells, powershell.exe, cmd.exe, or rundll32.exe after opening DNG files
Inspect file metadata for DNG samples carrying oversized or inconsistent IFD entries using static analysis tooling
Apply YARA rules targeting malformed DNG structures known to trigger heap corruption in the SDK parser

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable command-line and process creation logging on endpoints that handle raw photographic workflows
Forward image processing application crash telemetry to a central SIEM for correlation with file open events
Track new or unusual DNG file ingress through email gateways and shared storage

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-47964

Immediate Actions Required

Inventory all internal applications and third-party software that embed the Adobe DNG SDK to determine exposure
Update the DNG SDK to the fixed version identified in Adobe Security Advisory APSB26-67 and rebuild dependent applications
Restrict opening of DNG files received from untrusted sources until patched builds are deployed
Educate users in photography and creative workflows about the risk of opening unsolicited raw image files

Patch Information

Adobe addressed CVE-2026-47964 in updated releases of the DNG SDK. Software vendors that statically or dynamically link the SDK must integrate the fixed version and ship updated builds to customers. Consult the Adobe Security Advisory APSB26-67 for the specific fixed version and download instructions.

Workarounds

Block or quarantine DNG attachments at the email gateway when business workflows do not require them
Process untrusted DNG files inside a sandboxed or virtualized environment isolated from production data
Apply application allowlisting to prevent child processes from spawning under image processing applications

bash

# Example: identify processes loading the DNG SDK library on Linux
lsof -n | grep -i dng