CVE-2021-42271
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2021-42271 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Adobe Animate that allows arbitrary code execution when a user opens a malicious BMP file. This affects Adobe Animate version 21.0.9 and earlier, putting users who open untrusted BMP files at risk of complete system compromise.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe Animate
📦 What is this software?
Animate by Adobe
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise with attacker gaining the same privileges as the current user, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Malware installation or data exfiltration when users open malicious BMP files from untrusted sources.
If Mitigated
No impact if users only open trusted files or have patched software.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction (opening malicious file) and knowledge of BMP file format manipulation.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 21.0.10 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/animate/apsb21-105.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Adobe Animate. 2. Go to Help > Check for Updates. 3. Install update to version 21.0.10 or later. 4. Restart Adobe Animate.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Block BMP file associations
allPrevent Adobe Animate from opening BMP files by default
Windows: Use Group Policy or Registry to modify file associations
macOS: Use Finder > Get Info to change default application for .bmp files
User awareness training
allTrain users to avoid opening BMP files from untrusted sources
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict user permissions to limit damage from successful exploitation
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized code
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Adobe Animate version: Open Adobe Animate > Help > About Adobe AnimateCheck Version:
Windows: "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Animate 2021\Animate.exe" --version (adjust path as needed)Verify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 21.0.10 or later in Help > About Adobe Animate📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected process creation from Adobe Animate
- Animate.exe spawning cmd.exe or powershell.exe
- Multiple BMP file open attempts
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from Adobe Animate process to unknown IPs
- DNS requests for command and control domains
SIEM Query:
process_name:"Animate.exe" AND (parent_process:"explorer.exe" OR child_process:"cmd.exe" OR child_process:"powershell.exe")