Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This flaw lets a malicious image file make Adobe Photoshop run attacker-controlled code as the logged-in user. It requires someone to open the crafted file, so risk is highest where staff process external images or client submissions.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority for creative and content teams. It is not network-wormable from the provided evidence, but it can compromise a user workstation through normal file-opening behavior.
Technical view
CVE-2021-43018 is a CWE-787 out-of-bounds write in Photoshop Desktop JPEG2000/JPG parsing. Adobe lists Photoshop 23.0.2, 22.5.4, and earlier as affected. CVSS 3.1 is 7.8 with user interaction required and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to endpoints running affected Photoshop Desktop versions, especially creative, marketing, support, or review workflows that open untrusted image files.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show active exploitation or KEV listing. Exploitation requires user interaction: a victim opens a malicious JPG file. Successful exploitation could execute code in the current user context.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports an out-of-bounds write leading to arbitrary code execution with local attack vector and required UI. The bundle does not include exploit-in-the-wild evidence or detailed fixed-version data beyond the Adobe advisory reference.
Mitigation direction
- Update affected Photoshop installations using Adobe APSB21-113 guidance.
- Prioritize systems handling external or client-supplied image files.
- Restrict opening untrusted JPG or JPEG2000 files until patched.
- Use endpoint controls to limit Photoshop-launched child process abuse where available.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Photoshop Desktop versions across managed endpoints.
- Compare installed versions against Adobe's affected 23.0.2, 22.5.4, and earlier ranges.
- Confirm patched systems are no longer on affected versions.
- Review exposure for teams that routinely open external image files.
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-787: 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-2021-43018 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
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/apsb21-113.htmlCVE reference · vendor-advisory
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.
Out-of-bounds Write
Out-of-bounds Write represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.