CVE-2021-21069: Adobe Creative Cloud Improper Privilege Management Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Published Mar 12, 2021
·
Updated

Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application version 5.3 (and earlier) is affected by a local privilege escalation vulnerability that could allow an attacker to call functions against the installer to perform high privileged actions. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction.

Other sources

This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Adobe Creative Cloud on Apple macOS. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the Adobe privileged helper tool. The issue lies in the lack of proper validation of the helper clients. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of root.

Affected Software

4 affected components
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application<=5.3
Apple macOS
Microsoft Windows

Event History

Mar 12, 2021
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:11 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:11 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Feb 27, 2025
Advisory Published
via ZDI·01:20 PM
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2021-21069?

CVE-2021-21069 is classified as a critical local privilege escalation vulnerability.

2

How do I fix CVE-2021-21069?

To fix CVE-2021-21069, users should update the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application to version 5.3 or later.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2021-21069?

CVE-2021-21069 specifically affects Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application version 5.3 and earlier.

4

Can CVE-2021-21069 be exploited without user interaction?

Yes, exploitation of CVE-2021-21069 does not require user interaction.

5

What could an attacker achieve by exploiting CVE-2021-21069?

An attacker exploiting CVE-2021-21069 could perform high privileged actions against the installer.

Contact

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