Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-36005 is a Photoshop flaw where opening a malicious PSD file could let attacker-controlled code run as the signed-in user. The risk is highest for staff who receive PSD files from external or untrusted sources. The provided sources do not show active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority desktop application update for users handling PSD files. It is not listed as actively exploited in the provided sources, but successful exploitation could give an attacker code execution under the victim’s user account.
Technical view
Adobe Photoshop 21.2.9 and earlier, and 22.4.2 and earlier, have a CWE-121 stack overflow in crafted PSD file handling. CVSS 3.1 is 7.8 high: local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to systems running affected Photoshop versions where users may open PSD files. Design, marketing, creative, or intake workflows that process externally supplied PSDs are the most likely business exposure points.
Exploitation context
Exploitation requires persuading a user to open a crafted PSD file in Photoshop. The source bundle does not identify remote, no-click exploitation, public exploitation, or CISA KEV listing.
Researcher notes
The record identifies insecure PSD parsing leading to stack overflow and arbitrary code execution in the current user context. Evidence is limited to the CVE record and Adobe advisory reference; no exploit availability, patch version details, or technical root-cause specifics are included in the source bundle.
Mitigation direction
- Check Adobe APSB21-63 for the vendor-specified fixed Photoshop versions.
- Update affected Photoshop installations according to Adobe guidance.
- Warn users not to open unexpected PSD files from untrusted sources.
- Prioritize remediation for users who handle external design files.
- Keep endpoint controls active for suspicious document-driven code execution.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Photoshop installations and version numbers across managed endpoints.
- Flag versions 21.2.9 and earlier, and 22.4.2 and earlier.
- Identify teams receiving PSD files from outside the organization.
- Confirm affected endpoints have been updated per Adobe APSB21-63.
- Review recent security telemetry for suspicious activity after PSD file opens.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-121: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-36005 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/photoshop/apsb21-63.htmlCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.