CVE-2021-40774 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Adobe Prelude version 10.1 (and earlier) is affected by a null pointer dereference vulnerability when parsing a specially crafted file. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to achieve an application denial-of-service in the context of the current user. This article provides an in-depth analysis of CVE-2021-40774, including its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

Understanding CVE-2021-40774

CVE-2021-40774 pertains to a null pointer dereference vulnerability in Adobe Prelude, potentially leading to application denial-of-service.

What is CVE-2021-40774?

The vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker to trigger a denial-of-service by exploiting a flaw in file parsing.

The Impact of CVE-2021-40774

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 5.5 (Medium severity) with high availability impact. An attacker can exploit it locally with user interaction.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-40774

This section provides more insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

Type: NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476)
Attack Vector: Local
Attack Complexity: Low
User Interaction: Required
Availability Impact: High

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Adobe Prelude
Vendor: Adobe
Versions Affected: <= 10.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploitation requires an unauthenticated attacker to manipulate a specially crafted file to trigger the null pointer dereference.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2021-40774, follow these steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement a file parsing validation mechanism.
Update Adobe Prelude to the latest version.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security training for users.
Enable automatic updates for software.

Patching and Updates

Adobe has released a security update addressing this vulnerability.