CVE-2021-44190 : What You Need to Know

Adobe After Effects versions 22.0 and 18.4.2 are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability leading to memory disclosure, potentially allowing bypass of mitigations like ASLR.

Understanding CVE-2021-44190

What is CVE-2021-44190?

Adobe After Effects is prone to an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that can result in sensitive memory disclosure, posing a security risk by enabling attackers to bypass certain security mitigations.

The Impact of CVE-2021-44190

This vulnerability could be exploited to expose sensitive data stored in memory, potentially compromising the confidentiality of the affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-44190

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Adobe After Effects allows an attacker to trigger an out-of-bounds read, leading to the exposure of sensitive memory contents, hence jeopardizing data confidentiality.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: After Effects
Vendor: Adobe
Versions affected: 22.0 and 18.4.2

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting this vulnerability necessitates user interaction, requiring a victim to open a malicious file that triggers the out-of-bounds read, potentially leading to memory disclosure.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Adobe After Effects to version 18.4.3 or above to mitigate the vulnerability.
Exercise caution when opening files from untrusted sources to prevent malicious exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure coding practices to prevent buffer overflows and out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities.
Regularly monitor security advisories and update systems promptly to address known vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by Adobe to ensure the latest fixes and enhancements are in place to safeguard against potential exploits.