CVE-2023-47074
📋 TL;DR
Adobe Illustrator versions 28.0 and earlier (and 27.9 and earlier) contain an out-of-bounds read vulnerability when parsing malicious files. This could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user. Exploitation requires the victim to open a specially crafted file.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe Illustrator
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise via arbitrary code execution with user privileges, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or lateral movement.
Likely Case
Application crash (denial of service) or limited information disclosure from memory reads; successful code execution is possible but requires precise exploitation.
If Mitigated
No impact if users avoid opening untrusted files or if application is patched.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction (opening a malicious file) and precise memory manipulation; no public exploits known as of advisory date.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Update to Illustrator 28.1 or later (for version 28.x) or 27.9.1 or later (for version 27.x)
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/illustrator/apsb23-68.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Adobe Illustrator. 2. Go to Help > Updates. 3. Follow prompts to install the latest update. 4. Alternatively, download the update manually from Adobe's website and install it. 5. Restart the application after installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict file opening
allPrevent users from opening untrusted .ai or other Illustrator file formats from unknown sources.
Use application control
allBlock execution of vulnerable Illustrator versions via endpoint security tools.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable Illustrator or restrict its use to trusted files only.
- Implement network segmentation to limit potential lateral movement from compromised systems.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Illustrator version via Help > About Illustrator; if version is 28.0 or earlier, or 27.9 or earlier, it is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows: Check in Illustrator via Help > About. On macOS: Open Illustrator and go to Illustrator > About Illustrator.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 28.1 or later (for 28.x) or 27.9.1 or later (for 27.x) after updating.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes or unexpected terminations of Adobe Illustrator
- Event logs showing file access to suspicious .ai files
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Illustrator process post-file opening
SIEM Query:
Example: event_id=1000 AND process_name='Illustrator.exe' OR event_id=4624 AND process_name='Illustrator.exe' AND file_path='*.ai'