CVE-2021-44743
📋 TL;DR
Adobe Bridge versions 11.1.2 and earlier, and 12.0 and earlier, contain an out-of-bounds write vulnerability that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the victim's system. This requires user interaction where the victim opens a malicious file. Users of affected Adobe Bridge versions are at risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe Bridge
📦 What is this software?
Bridge by Adobe
Bridge 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 access.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation or malware installation when a user opens a malicious file, resulting in compromised user account and potential lateral movement.
If Mitigated
No impact if users avoid opening untrusted files or if the application is patched, with proper endpoint protection potentially blocking exploitation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction (opening a malicious file). No public proof-of-concept has been disclosed.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 11.1.3 and 12.0.1
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/bridge/apsb22-03.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Adobe Creative Cloud desktop app. 2. Navigate to 'Apps' tab. 3. Find Adobe Bridge and click 'Update' if available. 4. Alternatively, download the update directly from Adobe's website. 5. Install the update and restart the system.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict file opening
allConfigure Adobe Bridge to only open trusted file types or disable automatic opening of files.
User awareness training
allEducate users to avoid opening files from untrusted sources.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to block execution of unauthorized applications.
- Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for suspicious file execution.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Adobe Bridge version in Help > About Adobe Bridge. If version is 11.1.2 or earlier, or 12.0 or earlier, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows: Check via Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. On macOS: Check via Applications folder > Right-click Adobe Bridge > Get Info.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify Adobe Bridge version is 11.1.3 or later for version 11.x, or 12.0.1 or later for version 12.x.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected process creation from Adobe Bridge
- File access logs showing malicious file extensions being opened
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from Adobe Bridge to suspicious IPs post-file opening
SIEM Query:
Process creation where parent process is 'Adobe Bridge' and command line contains suspicious file paths