CVE-2020-9564 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write vulnerability affecting Adobe Bridge versions 10.0.1 and earlier. Adobe Bridge is a digital asset management application widely used by creative professionals to organize, browse, and manage multimedia files. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of memory boundaries, specifically an out-of-bounds write condition categorized under CWE-787. This flaw can be triggered when a user interacts with a specially crafted file or content that Adobe Bridge processes, leading to memory corruption. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the application. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with an attack vector requiring local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but user interaction is necessary (UI:R). The vulnerability scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is limited to the vulnerable component. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild, the potential for arbitrary code execution makes this a significant risk, especially in environments where Adobe Bridge is used to handle untrusted or external media files. The lack of available patches at the time of reporting increases exposure for affected users.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2020-9564 can be substantial, particularly for companies in creative industries such as advertising, media production, publishing, and design firms that rely heavily on Adobe Bridge for asset management. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, resulting in data breaches, intellectual property theft, or disruption of business operations. Since the vulnerability requires local access and user interaction, the risk is higher in environments where users may open untrusted files or where endpoint security is weak. Compromise of a single workstation could serve as a foothold for lateral movement within corporate networks, potentially escalating to more critical systems. Furthermore, organizations handling sensitive or regulated data under GDPR must consider the compliance implications of any breach resulting from this vulnerability. The absence of known active exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as exploit code could be developed and weaponized in the future.

European organizations should implement a multi-layered mitigation approach beyond generic patching advice. First, verify and upgrade Adobe Bridge installations to versions later than 10.0.1 where this vulnerability is addressed. If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict Adobe Bridge usage to trusted files only and educate users about the risks of opening files from unknown or untrusted sources. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to limit the execution context of Adobe Bridge, reducing the impact of potential exploitation. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions should be configured to monitor for anomalous behaviors indicative of memory corruption or code injection attempts. Network segmentation can help contain any compromise originating from affected workstations. Additionally, enforce the principle of least privilege by ensuring users operate with minimal necessary rights, limiting the damage scope if exploitation occurs. Regularly review and update incident response plans to include scenarios involving Adobe product vulnerabilities.