Code execution via PCX heap buffer overflow
Published Sep 16, 2022 · Updated Apr 23, 2025
Heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe InDesign 16.4.2 and earlier and 17.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code. The PCX parser copies user-supplied data into a fixed-length heap buffer without first validating the data length. Exploitation requires the current user to visit a malicious page or open a malicious file, after which code runs in the current process.
Summary
What happened
Heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe InDesign 16.4.2 and earlier and 17.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code. The PCX parser copies user-supplied data into a fixed-length heap buffer without first validating the data length. Exploitation requires the current user to visit a malicious page or open a malicious file, after which code runs in the current process.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-38415
- Published
- Sep 16, 2022
- Updated
- Apr 23, 2025
- Vendor
- Adobe
- Product
- InDesign
- Classifications
- CWE-122, T1203, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 16, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 23, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <=16.4.2
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <=17.3
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <=None
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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