CVE-2024-41836: NULL Pointer Dereference Vulnerability in InDesign Desktop - Explained with Exploit Details and Remediations

Adobe's InDesign Desktop software is a powerful tool for creating, designing, and producing publications, both in print and digital formats. It is extensively used by graphic designers, publishers, and marketing professionals around the world. Recently, vulnerabilities have been identified in InDesign Desktop versions ID18.5.2, ID19.3 and earlier that could potentially result in a denial-of-service (DoS) attack. Specifically, these versions of the software are affected by a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability (CVE-2024-41836). In this post, we will discuss the details of the vulnerability, share the code snippet that explains the issue, and provide details on how it can be exploited. Let's also look at the remediation steps and the official references provided by Adobe.

Vulnerability Details

A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability occurs when a software application unintentionally accesses a memory location with a value of NULL, leading to potential crashes and denial-of-service conditions. In InDesign Desktop versions ID18.5.2, ID19.3, and earlier, this vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker to cause the application to crash, hence denying service to its users.

Here is a code snippet illustrating the NULL pointer dereference issue in InDesign

// Sample code illustrating NULL pointer dereference in InDesign
#include<stdio.h>

int main() {
   int *ptr = NULL;

   printf("%d", *ptr);

   return ;
}

Exploitation

For an attacker to exploit this vulnerability successfully, they would require user interaction from the victim. The attacker would create a malicious file, such as a document or template, containing the necessary code to trigger the NULL pointer dereference in the InDesign application. The victim must then open this malicious file using their instance of the affected InDesign Desktop versions. Once opened, the malicious code executes, causing the application to crash and resulting in a denial-of-service condition.

Links to Original References

Adobe has acknowledged the existence of the CVE-2024-41836 vulnerability and released updates for InDesign Desktop to address the issue. Users of affected versions are advised to update their software to avoid any potential exploitation. The official security bulletin from Adobe can be found here:

- Adobe Security Bulletin CVE-2024-41836

These external references also discuss the vulnerability in detail

- CVE-2024-41836 at the CVE database
- NIST National Vulnerability Database entry for CVE-2024-41836

Remediation

The best course of action to protect yourself from this vulnerability is to update your InDesign Desktop application. Adobe has released updates addressing this vulnerability for InDesign Desktop versions affected by the issue (ID18.5.2 and ID19.3). Users should update their software to the latest available version to ensure they are protected from potential exploitation.

Conclusion

It is crucial for software users to stay informed about security vulnerabilities and updates to protect their systems from potential attacks. The NULL pointer dereference vulnerability (CVE-2024-41836) in Adobe InDesign Desktop versions ID18.5.2, ID19.3, and earlier could lead to a denial-of-service attack if exploited successfully. Users are encouraged to update their InDesign Desktop application to the latest version available, mitigating any risk associated with this vulnerability.

Timeline

Published on: 07/23/2024 12:15:10 UTC
Last modified on: 07/24/2024 12:55:13 UTC