CVE-2024-39393
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Adobe InDesign that could allow arbitrary code execution when a user opens a malicious file. Attackers could exploit this to run code with the victim's privileges. Users of affected InDesign versions are at risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe InDesign
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise through arbitrary code execution with the current user's privileges, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or lateral movement.
Likely Case
Limited impact due to required user interaction (opening malicious file), but successful exploitation could still lead to malware installation or data exfiltration.
If Mitigated
No impact if users avoid opening untrusted files or if proper security controls block malicious documents.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction (opening malicious file) and successful bypass of memory protections. No public exploit code known at this time.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: ID19.5 and ID18.5.3
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/indesign/apsb24-56.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Adobe Creative Cloud application. 2. Navigate to 'Apps' tab. 3. Find InDesign and click 'Update'. 4. Alternatively, download updates directly from Adobe website. 5. Restart InDesign after installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict file opening
allConfigure application control policies to block InDesign from opening files from untrusted sources.
Sandbox execution
allRun InDesign in sandboxed environments or virtual machines when opening untrusted files.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of malicious code
- Educate users to never open InDesign files from untrusted sources
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check InDesign version via Help > About InDesign. If version is ID19.4 or earlier, or ID18.5.2 or earlier, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows: Check via Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. On macOS: Click InDesign > About InDesign from menu bar.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify version is ID19.5 or later, or ID18.5.3 or later. Test with known safe files to ensure normal functionality.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected InDesign crashes
- Memory access violation errors in system logs
- Unusual file opening events from network shares
Network Indicators:
- Downloads of InDesign files from suspicious sources
- Outbound connections from InDesign to unknown IPs post-file opening
SIEM Query:
source="*indesign*" AND (event_type="crash" OR error="memory" OR error="access")