CVE-2021-46816 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Adobe Premiere Pro version 15.4 (and earlier) are affected by a memory corruption vulnerability that could lead to remote code execution when a victim opens a malicious M4A file.

Understanding CVE-2021-46816

Adobe Premiere Pro M4A file memory corruption vulnerability

What is CVE-2021-46816?

Adobe Premiere Pro version 15.4 and earlier are susceptible to a memory corruption flaw. An unauthenticated attacker could exploit this to execute arbitrary code within the current user's context by enticing a victim to open a malicious M4A file.

The Impact of CVE-2021-46816

CVSS Base Score: 7.8 (High)
Risk Factors:
Confidentiality Impact: High
Integrity Impact: High
Availability Impact: High
The vulnerability requires user interaction and has a low attack complexity. No privileges are needed for exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-46816

Adobe Premiere Pro M4A file memory corruption vulnerability details

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability is categorized as an Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787).

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Products:
Product: Adobe Premiere
Vendor: Adobe
Versions: <= 15.4, None (custom versions)

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploitation necessitates user interaction, where a victim is required to open a malicious M4A file.

Mitigation and Prevention

Ways to mitigate and prevent CVE-2021-46816

Immediate Steps to Take

Users should update Adobe Premiere to a non-vulnerable version.
Avoid opening unsolicited M4A files, especially from untrusted sources.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Adobe Premiere and other software to the latest versions.
Employ caution while interacting with files from unverified sources.

Patching and Updates

Adobe has released updates to address this vulnerability. Users should apply the latest patches to secure their systems.