CVE-2021-42267 is a memory corruption vulnerability identified in Adobe Animate version 21.0.9 and earlier. The root cause is an access of memory location after the end of a buffer (CWE-788), which occurs due to improper handling of maliciously crafted FLA files. When a user opens such a malicious FLA file in Adobe Animate, the vulnerability can be triggered, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the context of the current user. This means that the attacker could run code with the same privileges as the logged-in user, which may lead to unauthorized actions such as installing malware, stealing data, or manipulating files. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically opening or importing a malicious FLA file, which limits the attack vector to social engineering or targeted delivery of malicious files. There are no known exploits in the wild reported to date, and Adobe has not provided a patch link in the information given, suggesting that remediation may require updating to a later version or applying a security update once available. The vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption errors, which are often critical due to their potential for arbitrary code execution. However, the requirement for user interaction and the absence of known active exploitation reduce the immediacy of the threat. The vulnerability is relevant primarily to users and organizations that utilize Adobe Animate for multimedia content creation, animation, and interactive media development.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2021-42267 depends largely on the extent to which Adobe Animate is used within their environments. Organizations involved in digital media production, advertising agencies, educational institutions, and creative departments in enterprises are most at risk. Successful exploitation could lead to compromise of user systems, data theft, or lateral movement within networks if the compromised user has elevated privileges or access to sensitive resources. Since the vulnerability allows arbitrary code execution, attackers could deploy malware, ransomware, or establish persistence mechanisms. The requirement for user interaction means phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used to deliver malicious FLA files. Given the widespread use of Adobe products in Europe’s creative industries, the vulnerability could disrupt business operations, lead to intellectual property theft, or damage reputations. However, the lack of known exploits and the medium severity rating suggest the threat is moderate but should not be ignored. Organizations with strict security policies and limited use of Adobe Animate are less likely to be impacted. Additionally, the vulnerability does not appear to affect server-side or automated systems, limiting its scope primarily to end-user workstations.

1. Immediate mitigation should include educating users about the risks of opening unsolicited or suspicious FLA files, emphasizing caution with files received via email or untrusted sources. 2. Implement application whitelisting to restrict execution of unauthorized files and scripts, reducing the risk of malicious payload execution. 3. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 4. Regularly update Adobe Animate to the latest version once patches addressing this vulnerability are released by Adobe. 5. Use network segmentation to isolate workstations running Adobe Animate from critical infrastructure to limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 6. Enforce the principle of least privilege, ensuring users running Adobe Animate do not have administrative rights, thereby limiting the impact of any successful exploit. 7. Integrate sandboxing or virtualized environments for opening untrusted FLA files to contain potential malicious activity. 8. Monitor threat intelligence feeds for any emerging exploit activity related to CVE-2021-42267 to respond promptly.