CVE-2021-28621 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Adobe Animate version 21.0.6 (and earlier) has been identified with an Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability that can be exploited by an unauthenticated attacker for remote code execution. This article provides insights into the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-28621.

Understanding CVE-2021-28621

CVE-2021-28621 refers to a critical vulnerability in Adobe Animate that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely, posing a severe security risk.

What is CVE-2021-28621?

Adobe Animate version 21.0.6 and earlier versions are susceptible to an Out-of-bounds Read flaw, potentially enabling threat actors to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the target user. Exploiting this vulnerability necessitates user interaction as the victim must open a malicious file.

The Impact of CVE-2021-28621

The CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 indicates a high severity level for this vulnerability. Attackers can exploit the flaw to compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems without requiring any privileges.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-28621

This section delves into the specifics of the vulnerability, including the description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Adobe Animate allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit an Out-of-bounds Read issue for executing arbitrary code, potentially leading to unauthorized access and data manipulation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Adobe Animate versions equal to or below 21.0.6 are impacted by this vulnerability, exposing users of these versions to potential security breaches.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting this vulnerability requires an attacker to entice a victim into opening a specially crafted malicious file. Once the victim interacts with the file, the attacker can trigger the execution of arbitrary code on the victim's system.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard systems from CVE-2021-28621, immediate actions, as well as long-term security practices and patching strategies, are crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update Adobe Animate to a patched version beyond 21.0.6 and avoid opening files from untrusted sources to mitigate the risk of exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing robust security measures, such as maintaining up-to-date software, employing network segmentation, and conducting regular security audits, can enhance overall cyber resilience.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitoring for security patches released by Adobe and promptly applying these updates can help prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.