CVE-2021-42266 is a memory corruption vulnerability classified under CWE-788 (Access of Memory Location After End of Buffer) affecting Adobe Animate version 21.0.9 and earlier. The vulnerability arises due to improper handling of maliciously crafted FLA files, which are project files used by Adobe Animate to store animation data and assets. When a user opens or interacts with a specially crafted FLA file, the application may access memory beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, leading to memory corruption. This corruption can be exploited by an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically opening or loading the malicious FLA file, which means social engineering or tricking the user into opening such a file is necessary. There are no known public exploits in the wild as of the publication date, and no official patches or updates have been linked in the provided information. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability by potentially allowing arbitrary code execution, which could lead to unauthorized access, data manipulation, or system compromise. However, the scope is limited to the user context, and exploitation is not automatic, requiring user action. Adobe Animate is a widely used multimedia authoring and computer animation program, often employed by creative professionals and organizations for producing interactive content, advertisements, and animations. The vulnerability could be leveraged to target users in creative industries or organizations relying on Adobe Animate for content creation workflows.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2021-42266 could be significant in sectors relying heavily on multimedia content creation, such as advertising agencies, media companies, educational institutions, and digital marketing firms. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, potentially allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or disrupt operations. Since Adobe Animate projects often involve collaborative workflows, a compromised user system could serve as a foothold for lateral movement within an organization’s network. The requirement for user interaction reduces the risk of widespread automated exploitation but increases the importance of user awareness and secure handling of files. Confidentiality could be compromised if attackers gain access to proprietary creative assets or client data. Integrity and availability could also be affected if malicious code alters project files or disrupts the animation production pipeline. Given the creative and often client-facing nature of Adobe Animate usage, reputational damage could also be a concern if attacks lead to data breaches or service interruptions.

1. Implement strict email and file handling policies to prevent unsolicited or untrusted FLA files from reaching end users. 2. Educate users, especially those in creative roles, about the risks of opening files from unknown or untrusted sources and encourage verification of file origins. 3. Employ endpoint protection solutions with heuristic and behavior-based detection capabilities to identify and block suspicious activities related to Adobe Animate processes. 4. Use application whitelisting to restrict execution of unauthorized scripts or code that could be triggered by malicious FLA files. 5. Isolate Adobe Animate usage environments, such as running the application in sandboxed or virtualized environments, to limit potential damage from exploitation. 6. Monitor network and system logs for unusual activities that could indicate exploitation attempts, such as unexpected process spawning or memory access violations. 7. Stay informed about Adobe security advisories and apply patches promptly once available, as no patch links were provided at the time of analysis. 8. Consider disabling or restricting the use of Adobe Animate in environments where it is not essential to reduce the attack surface.