CVE-2024-53959
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2024-53959 is a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in Adobe Framemaker that allows arbitrary code execution when a user opens a malicious file. This affects users of Adobe Framemaker versions 2020.7, 2022.5 and earlier, potentially leading to full system compromise under the current user's privileges.
💻 Affected Systems
- Adobe Framemaker
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system takeover with the attacker gaining the same privileges as the logged-in user, enabling data theft, ransomware deployment, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Malicious document leads to malware installation, credential theft, or lateral movement within the network from the compromised workstation.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to user awareness training, application sandboxing, and restricted user privileges preventing system-wide damage.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction (opening malicious file). No public exploit code available at disclosure time.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Update to Framemaker 2020.8 or 2022.6
Vendor Advisory: https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/framemaker/apsb24-106.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Adobe Framemaker. 2. Navigate to Help > Check for Updates. 3. Follow prompts to install available updates. 4. Restart Framemaker after installation completes.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict File Opening
allConfigure application control policies to prevent opening untrusted Framemaker files
User Awareness Training
allTrain users to only open Framemaker files from trusted sources
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to block Framemaker execution entirely
- Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) to monitor for suspicious file opening behavior
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Framemaker version via Help > About Adobe Framemaker. If version is 2020.7, 2022.5 or earlier, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows: Check Help > About Adobe Framemaker. No direct command-line version check available.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 2020.8 or 2022.6 or later after applying updates.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected Framemaker crashes
- Suspicious file opening events in application logs
- Process creation from Framemaker with unusual parameters
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from Framemaker process to unknown IPs
- DNS requests for suspicious domains after file opening
SIEM Query:
source="*framemaker*" AND (event_type="crash" OR file_path="*.fm" OR process_name="framemaker.exe")