CVE-2021-28571 is a command injection vulnerability affecting Adobe After Effects version 18.1 and earlier. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands (CWE-78), specifically when Adobe After Effects is used in conjunction with a development and debugging tool for JavaScript scripts. An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious After Effects project file that, when opened by a victim, triggers the injection of arbitrary OS commands. This leads to arbitrary code execution within the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically the victim opening the malicious file, and no prior authentication is needed. The vulnerability leverages the way After Effects processes certain inputs that are passed to the underlying OS command shell without adequate sanitization, allowing attackers to inject and execute arbitrary commands. There are no known exploits in the wild, and no official patches or updates have been linked to this vulnerability in the provided data. The vulnerability is classified as medium severity by the vendor, but the lack of a CVSS score necessitates further severity assessment. The attack vector is local in the sense that it requires the victim to open a malicious file, but the attacker does not need to be authenticated or have prior access to the system. This vulnerability primarily threatens the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system by enabling arbitrary code execution, which could lead to data theft, system compromise, or disruption of services depending on the privileges of the user running After Effects.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2021-28571 can be significant, particularly for those in creative industries, media production, advertising, and any sector relying heavily on Adobe After Effects for video and animation workflows. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to data breaches, intellectual property theft, or disruption of critical media production pipelines. Since the vulnerability requires user interaction (opening a malicious file), phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used to deliver the payload, increasing risk in environments with less stringent user awareness or file handling policies. The compromise of systems running After Effects could also serve as a foothold for lateral movement within corporate networks, especially if the affected user has elevated privileges or access to sensitive resources. Additionally, the vulnerability could be exploited to deploy malware or ransomware, which has been a growing threat in Europe. Given the widespread use of Adobe products in European creative sectors and the potential for targeted attacks, organizations could face operational downtime, financial losses, and reputational damage if this vulnerability is exploited.

1. Implement strict file handling policies: Restrict the acceptance and opening of After Effects project files from untrusted or unknown sources. 2. User awareness training: Educate users, especially those in creative teams, about the risks of opening files from unverified origins and recognizing phishing attempts. 3. Use sandboxing or isolated environments: Run Adobe After Effects in sandboxed or virtualized environments where possible to limit the impact of potential code execution. 4. Monitor and restrict script debugging tools: Since exploitation involves chaining with JavaScript development and debugging tools, restrict or monitor the use of such tools to trusted users and environments only. 5. Apply principle of least privilege: Ensure users running After Effects do so with minimal necessary privileges to limit the scope of potential compromise. 6. Network segmentation: Isolate systems used for media production from critical infrastructure to reduce lateral movement risk. 7. Maintain up-to-date backups: Regularly back up project files and system states to enable recovery in case of compromise. 8. Monitor system and network logs for unusual activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 9. Engage with Adobe support and security advisories for any forthcoming patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available.