CVE-2021-40761 is a vulnerability identified in Adobe After Effects, specifically affecting version 18.4.1 and earlier. The vulnerability is classified as a NULL pointer dereference (CWE-476), which occurs when the software attempts to access or dereference a pointer that has a NULL value. This particular flaw arises during the parsing of specially crafted files. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by convincing a user to open a maliciously crafted After Effects project or file. Upon opening, the application attempts to process the file, triggering the NULL pointer dereference, which leads to an application crash. This results in a denial-of-service (DoS) condition within the context of the current user, effectively disrupting the availability of the After Effects application. Notably, exploitation does not require any authentication but does require user interaction, as the victim must open the malicious file. There are no known exploits in the wild reported, and no official patches or updates have been linked in the provided information. The vulnerability is medium severity, primarily because it impacts availability without direct compromise of confidentiality or integrity, and requires user action to trigger.

For European organizations, especially those in creative industries such as media production, advertising, and film, this vulnerability could disrupt critical workflows by causing After Effects to crash unexpectedly. This denial-of-service could lead to productivity losses, missed deadlines, and potential financial impacts. While the vulnerability does not allow for remote code execution or privilege escalation, the forced application crash could be leveraged in targeted attacks to disrupt operations or as part of a broader attack chain. Organizations relying heavily on Adobe After Effects for content creation are at higher risk. Additionally, if attackers distribute malicious files via email or shared networks, unsuspecting users might inadvertently trigger the vulnerability. The impact is largely confined to availability and user productivity rather than data breach or system compromise.

1. Implement strict email and file filtering policies to detect and block suspicious or unknown After Effects project files, especially from untrusted sources. 2. Educate users, particularly creative teams, about the risks of opening files from unknown or unverified origins and encourage verification before opening files. 3. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to isolate After Effects processes, limiting the impact of crashes. 4. Maintain regular backups of project files and work to minimize data loss in case of application crashes. 5. Monitor Adobe’s security advisories closely for patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 6. Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions that can detect abnormal application crashes or behaviors indicative of exploitation attempts. 7. Use network segmentation to limit the spread of malicious files within the organization’s internal network. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on user behavior, file handling policies, and proactive monitoring tailored to the specific nature of this vulnerability.