CVE-2021-40768 : Security Advisory and Response

Adobe Character Animator version 4.4 and earlier are affected by a Null pointer dereference vulnerability, allowing an attacker to cause application denial-of-service.

Understanding CVE-2021-40768

Adobe Character Animator vulnerability impacting versions 4.4 and below.

What is CVE-2021-40768?

Null pointer dereference vulnerability in Adobe Character Animator when parsing malicious files
Allows unauthenticated attackers to trigger application denial-of-service
Requires user interaction through opening a malicious file

The Impact of CVE-2021-40768

CVSS Score: 5.5 (Medium)
Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Local
Availability Impact: High
User Interaction: Required

Technical Details of CVE-2021-40768

Vulnerability specifics and affected systems.

Vulnerability Description

Vulnerability Type: NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476)
Affects Adobe Character Animator versions 4.4 and below

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Character Animator (Preview 4)
Vendor: Adobe
Affected Versions:
Custom versions less than or equal to 4.4
Unspecified versions

Exploitation Mechanism

Attacker exploits vulnerability by parsing a specially crafted file
Application denial-of-service occurs in the context of the current user

Mitigation and Prevention

Ways to mitigate and prevent exploitation of the CVE-2021-40768 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Adobe Character Animator to versions beyond 4.4
Avoid opening files from untrusted or unknown sources

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and apply security patches
Educate users about file safety practices

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by Adobe