CVE-2021-21068 is a vulnerability found in the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application, specifically versions 5.3 and earlier. The issue arises from improper handling of temporary files, where the application creates temporary files in directories with incorrect permissions (CWE-379). This misconfiguration can allow an attacker with physical access and requiring user interaction to overwrite arbitrary files on the affected system. The vulnerability stems from the insecure creation of temporary files without adequate permission restrictions, potentially enabling privilege escalation or tampering with application or system files. However, exploitation is constrained by the need for physical access to the device and user interaction, limiting remote exploitation possibilities. There are no known exploits in the wild, and no official patches or updates have been linked in the provided information. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability to some extent by allowing unauthorized file modification, but the attack vector is limited. Adobe Creative Cloud is widely used by creative professionals and organizations for digital content creation, making this vulnerability relevant to environments where the desktop application is installed and used.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2021-21068 is primarily related to the potential for local privilege escalation or unauthorized file modification on workstations running vulnerable versions of Adobe Creative Cloud. This could lead to tampering with project files, application configurations, or potentially system files if exploited successfully. The requirement for physical access and user interaction reduces the risk of widespread remote attacks but raises concerns in environments with shared or publicly accessible workstations, such as design studios, educational institutions, or public terminals. Confidentiality could be compromised if sensitive project files are overwritten or replaced, integrity could be undermined by unauthorized changes to files, and availability might be affected if critical files are corrupted. However, the overall risk is moderate due to the exploitation constraints. Organizations relying heavily on Adobe Creative Cloud for creative workflows may face operational disruptions or data integrity issues if this vulnerability is exploited.

To mitigate CVE-2021-21068, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Upgrade Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application to the latest version beyond 5.3 where this vulnerability is addressed, or apply any available security patches from Adobe promptly. 2) Restrict physical access to workstations running Adobe Creative Cloud, especially in shared or public environments, through controlled access policies and secure workstation placement. 3) Enforce strict user account controls and limit user privileges to prevent unauthorized file modifications. 4) Implement endpoint protection solutions that monitor and alert on suspicious file system changes, particularly in directories used by Adobe Creative Cloud for temporary files. 5) Educate users about the risks of interacting with unknown devices or files and the importance of reporting unusual system behavior. 6) Regularly audit file permissions on directories used by Adobe Creative Cloud to ensure they are not overly permissive. 7) Consider application whitelisting or sandboxing techniques to contain the impact of any potential exploitation. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific attack vector and operational context of the vulnerability.