CVE-2022-28845 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability (CWE-787) found in Adobe Bridge version 12.0.1 and earlier. Adobe Bridge is a digital asset management application widely used by creative professionals to organize, browse, and manage multimedia files. The vulnerability arises when the application improperly handles certain file inputs, leading to a memory corruption condition where data is written outside the bounds of allocated memory buffers. This can allow an attacker to overwrite critical memory structures, potentially enabling arbitrary code execution within the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically that the victim opens a crafted malicious file designed to trigger the vulnerability. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of reporting, and no official patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on June 15, 2022, and has been enriched by CISA for awareness. Given the nature of the flaw, successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute code, escalate privileges, or install persistent malware, but only with the victim’s direct involvement in opening a malicious file. The attack vector is local or via social engineering, such as phishing emails containing malicious attachments or files delivered through compromised websites or file-sharing platforms.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-28845 could be significant in sectors heavily reliant on Adobe Bridge for digital asset management, including media, advertising, design, and publishing industries. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, enabling attackers to compromise user systems, steal intellectual property, or move laterally within corporate networks. Since Adobe Bridge often runs with user-level privileges, the attack scope is limited to the current user context, but this can still facilitate data exfiltration or deployment of ransomware and other malware. The requirement for user interaction reduces the likelihood of widespread automated exploitation but increases risk through targeted spear-phishing campaigns. Organizations with lax email filtering, insufficient user awareness training, or inadequate endpoint protection could be more vulnerable. Additionally, the lack of an official patch at the time of disclosure means organizations must rely on interim mitigations, increasing exposure duration. The vulnerability could also impact supply chains and creative agencies servicing European clients, potentially causing reputational damage and operational disruption.

1. Implement strict email filtering and attachment scanning to block or quarantine suspicious files, especially those that could be opened with Adobe Bridge. 2. Educate users on the risks of opening unsolicited or unexpected files, emphasizing verification of file sources before opening. 3. Restrict Adobe Bridge usage to trusted users and environments, and consider disabling it on systems where it is not essential. 4. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to limit the execution scope of Adobe Bridge and its file handling processes. 5. Monitor endpoint behavior for anomalous activities indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unexpected process spawning or memory corruption alerts. 6. Maintain up-to-date backups of critical data to enable recovery in case of compromise. 7. Closely monitor Adobe’s security advisories for official patches and apply them promptly once available. 8. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect exploitation attempts and respond rapidly. 9. Limit user privileges to reduce the impact of code execution within user context. 10. Consider network segmentation to prevent lateral movement if a system is compromised.