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CVE-2022-28275: Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787) in Adobe Photoshop

Medium
Published: Fri May 06 2022 (05/06/2022, 17:11:08 UTC)
Source: CVE
Vendor/Project: Adobe
Product: Photoshop

Description

Adobe Photoshop versions 22.5.6 (and earlier) and 23.2.2 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds write vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 06/23/2025, 09:21:10 UTC

Technical Analysis

CVE-2022-28275 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability (CWE-787) affecting Adobe Photoshop versions 22.5.6 and earlier, as well as 23.2.2 and earlier. This vulnerability arises when Photoshop improperly handles certain crafted files, leading to memory corruption through writing data outside the intended buffer boundaries. Such memory corruption can be leveraged by an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the security context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically the victim opening a maliciously crafted file in Photoshop. The vulnerability does not require elevated privileges or prior authentication, but successful exploitation depends on tricking the user into opening a malicious file. There are no known public exploits in the wild at this time, and Adobe has not published official patches linked in the provided data, though updates beyond the affected versions likely address the issue. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability by potentially allowing arbitrary code execution, which could lead to data theft, system compromise, or denial of service. However, the need for user interaction and the absence of privilege escalation limit the scope of exploitation somewhat. This vulnerability is categorized as medium severity by the vendor, reflecting a moderate risk profile given these factors.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-28275 could be significant, particularly for industries relying heavily on Adobe Photoshop for digital content creation, such as media, advertising, design, and publishing sectors. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive intellectual property, insertion of malware, or lateral movement within corporate networks. Since Photoshop is widely used on workstations, a compromised device could serve as an entry point for broader attacks. The requirement for user interaction means phishing or social engineering campaigns could be vectors for exploitation. Organizations handling sensitive or regulated data may face compliance risks if breaches occur. Additionally, disruption of creative workflows due to compromised systems could impact business continuity. However, the medium severity and lack of known exploits suggest the threat is currently moderate but warrants proactive mitigation to prevent escalation.

Mitigation Recommendations

1. Ensure all Adobe Photoshop installations are updated to versions later than 22.5.6 and 23.2.2, as Adobe typically patches such vulnerabilities in subsequent releases. 2. Implement strict email and file filtering to block or flag suspicious files that could be used to exploit this vulnerability, particularly targeting file types commonly opened in Photoshop. 3. Educate users, especially those in creative roles, about the risks of opening files from untrusted or unexpected sources to reduce the likelihood of successful social engineering. 4. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to limit the ability of Photoshop to execute arbitrary code or affect other system components. 5. Monitor endpoint security logs for unusual behavior indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unexpected process launches or memory access violations related to Photoshop. 6. Use network segmentation to isolate workstations running Photoshop from critical infrastructure to limit lateral movement if compromise occurs. 7. Regularly back up critical data and maintain incident response plans tailored to endpoint compromise scenarios involving creative software.

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Technical Details

Data Version
5.1
Assigner Short Name
adobe
Date Reserved
2022-03-30T00:00:00.000Z
Cisa Enriched
true

Threat ID: 682d9843c4522896dcbf2e1c

Added to database: 5/21/2025, 9:09:23 AM

Last enriched: 6/23/2025, 9:21:10 AM

Last updated: 7/26/2025, 1:54:18 AM

Views: 14

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