CVE-2023-29311 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to bypass mitigations such as ASLR. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.

Understanding CVE-2023-29311

This section will provide an overview of CVE-2023-29311, the impact of the vulnerability, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2023-29311?

CVE-2023-29311 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability affecting Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 and earlier, as well as ID17.4.1 and earlier. The vulnerability could allow an attacker to access sensitive memory data.

The Impact of CVE-2023-29311

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as medium severity. An attacker could exploit it to disclose confidential information and bypass certain security mitigations, posing a risk to affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-29311

This section covers the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

CVE-2023-29311 is classified as an out-of-bounds read vulnerability (CWE-125) that could be exploited by an attacker to read sensitive memory outside the bounds of allocated buffer storage.

Affected Systems and Versions

Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 and earlier, along with ID17.4.1 and earlier, are confirmed to be impacted by CVE-2023-29311. Users of these versions are advised to take precautionary measures.

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to trick a user into opening a malicious file that triggers the out-of-bounds read operation, allowing the sensitive memory disclosure.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we will discuss immediate steps to take, long-term security practices, and the importance of patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users of Adobe InDesign should refrain from opening files from untrusted or unknown sources. Implementing security best practices and avoiding suspicious files can help mitigate the risk.

Long-Term Security Practices

Maintaining up-to-date software versions, practicing regular system backups, and educating users on safe computing habits are essential for long-term security resilience.

Patching and Updates

Adobe has released a security advisory (APSB23-38) addressing the CVE-2023-29311 vulnerability in InDesign. Users are strongly advised to apply the recommended patches and updates to protect their systems from potential exploitation.