CVE-2021-28602
📋 TL;DR
Adobe After Effects versions 18.2 and earlier contain a memory corruption vulnerability (CWE-787) that allows arbitrary code execution when a user opens a malicious file. This affects users of Adobe After Effects on any operating system, requiring user interaction to trigger exploitation. An attacker could gain control over the victim's system with the same privileges as the current user.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe After Effects
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise via arbitrary code execution, leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or lateral movement within a network.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation or malware installation on the affected system after a user opens a malicious file.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if users avoid opening untrusted files, with potential isolation to the application if sandboxing is effective.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to open a malicious file, but no authentication is needed; complexity is moderate due to memory corruption techniques.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 18.2.1 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/after_effects/apsb21-49.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Adobe After Effects. 2. Go to Help > Updates. 3. Follow prompts to install the latest version (18.2.1 or newer). 4. Restart the application after installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict file opening
allInstruct users to only open trusted files from verified sources to reduce the risk of exploitation.
Use application sandboxing
allRun Adobe After Effects in a sandboxed environment to limit potential damage from arbitrary code execution.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict user training to avoid opening untrusted files and monitor for suspicious activity.
- Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to block or alert on malicious file execution attempts.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the Adobe After Effects version via Help > About After Effects; if version is 18.2 or earlier, it is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows: Check via application interface; no direct command. On macOS: Use 'defaults read /Applications/Adobe\ After\ Effects\ CC/Info.plist CFBundleShortVersionString' if installed in default location.Verify Fix Applied:
After updating, confirm the version is 18.2.1 or later in Help > About After Effects.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected crashes or memory errors in Adobe After Effects logs, especially when opening files.
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Adobe After Effects process after file opening.
SIEM Query:
Example: 'process_name:"AfterFX.exe" AND event_type:"crash"' for Windows SIEM logs.