Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Adobe Products, the most severe of which could allow for arbitrary code execution.

• Adobe InDesign is a desktop publishing and page layout designing software.
• Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web-application development computing platform.

Successful exploitation of the most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow for arbitrary code execution in the context of the logged on user. Depending on the privileges associated with the user, an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.

THREAT INTELLEGENCE:
There are no reports that these vulnerabilities are being exploited in the wild.

SYSTEMS AFFECTED:

• Adobe InDesign ID18.3 and earlier version
• Adobe InDesign ID17.4.1 and earlier version
• ColdFusion 2018 Update 16 and earlier versions
• ColdFusion 2021.Update 6 and earlier versions
• ColdFusion 2023.GA Release (2023.0.0.330468)

RISK:
Government:

• Large and medium government entities: High
• Small government entities: Medium

Businesses:

• Large and medium business entities: High
• Small business entities: Medium

Home users: Low

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:
Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Adobe Products, the most severe of which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Details of the most critical vulnerabilities are as follows:

Tactic: Execution (TA0002):

Technique: Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203):

Adobe InDesign

• Out-of-bounds Write which could allow for Arbitrary code execution. (CVE-2023-29308)
• Out-of-bounds Read which could allow for a Memory leak. (CVE-2023-29309, CVE-2023-29310, CVE-2023-29311, CVE-2023-29312, CVE-2023-29313, CVE-2023-29314, CVE-2023-29315, CVE-2023-29316, CVE-2023-29317, CVE-2023-29318, CVE-2023-29319)

Adobe ColdFusion

• Improper Access Control which could allow for Security feature bypass. (CVE-2023-29298)
• Deserialization of Untrusted Data. (CVE-2023-29300)
• Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts could allow for Security feature bypass. (CVE-2023-29301)

Successful exploitation of the most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow for arbitrary code execution in the context of the logged on user. Depending on the privileges associated with the user, an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

We recommend the following actions be taken:

1. Apply the stable channel update provided by Adobe to vulnerable systems immediately after appropriate testing. (M1051: Update Software)

• Safeguard 7.1 : Establish and Maintain a Vulnerability Management Process: Establish and maintain a documented vulnerability management process for enterprise assets. Review and update documentation annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.
• Safeguard 7.4: Perform Automated Application Patch Management: Perform application updates on enterprise assets through automated patch management on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.
• Safeguard 7.5 : Perform Automated Vulnerability Scans of Internal Enterprise Assets: Perform automated vulnerability scans of internal enterprise assets on a quarterly, or more frequent, basis. Conduct both authenticated and unauthenticated scans, using a SCAP-compliant vulnerability scanning tool.
  

2. Apply the Principle of Least Privilege to all systems and services. Run all software as a non-privileged user (one without administrative privileges) to diminish the effects of a successful attack. (M1026: Privileged Account Management)

• Safeguard 4.7: Manage Default Accounts on Enterprise Assets and Software: Manage default accounts on enterprise assets and software, such as root, administrator, and other pre-configured vendor accounts. Example implementations can include: disabling default accounts or making them unusable.
• Safeguard 5.4: Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated Administrator Accounts: Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged account.
  

3. Use capabilities to detect and block conditions that may lead to or be indicative of a software exploit occurring. (M1050: Exploit Protection)

• Safeguard 10.5:  Enable Anti-Exploitation Features: Enable anti-exploitation features on enterprise assets and software, where possible, such as Microsoft® Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Windows® Defender Exploit Guard (WDEG), or Apple® System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Gatekeeper™.
  

4. Restrict use of certain websites, block downloads/attachments, block JavaScript, restrict browser extensions, etc. (M1021: Restrict Web-Based Content)

• Safeguard 9.2: Use DNS Filtering Services: Use DNS filtering services on all enterprise assets to block access to known malicious domains.
• Safeguard 9.3: Maintain and Enforce Network-Based URL Filters: Enforce and update network-based URL filters to limit an enterprise asset from connecting to potentially malicious or unapproved websites. Example implementations include category-based filtering, reputation-based filtering, or through the use of block lists. Enforce filters for all enterprise assets.
• Safeguard 9.6: Block Unnecessary File Types: Block unnecessary file types attempting to enter the enterprise’s email gateway.
  

5. Remind users not to visit un-trusted websites or follow links provided by unknown or un-trusted sources. Inform and educate users regarding the threats posed by hypertext links contained in emails or attachments especially from un-trusted sources. (M1017: User Training)

• Safeguard 14.1: Establish and Maintain a Security Awareness Program: Establish and maintain a security awareness program. The purpose of a security awareness program is to educate the enterprise’s workforce on how to interact with enterprise assets and data in a secure manner. Conduct training at hire and, at a minimum, annually. Review and update content annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.
• Safeguard 14.2: Train Workforce Members to Recognize Social Engineering Attacks: Train workforce members to recognize social engineering attacks, such as phishing, pre-texting, and tailgating.

REFERENCES:

Adobe:
https://helpx.adobe.com/security.html
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/indesign/apsb23-38.html
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/coldfusion/apsb23-40.html

CVE:                                                                                                      
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29298
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29300
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29301
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29308
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29309
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29310
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29311
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29312
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29313
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29314
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29315
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29316
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29317
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29318
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-29319

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