CVE-2022-34243
Published: 15 July 2022
Summary
CVE-2022-34243 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Adobe Photoshop. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 43.4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
Adobe Photoshop versions 22.5.7 and earlier as well as 23.3.2 and earlier contain a use-after-free vulnerability tracked as CVE-2022-34243 and CWE-416. The flaw can permit arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user when a specially crafted file is processed.
An attacker can exploit the issue by supplying a malicious file that the victim must open, after which code runs locally with the privileges of the opening user. No remote or unauthenticated vector exists; the CVSS 7.8 score reflects local attack vector, low attack complexity, and required user interaction.
The official Adobe advisory APSB22-35, published alongside the CVE, directs customers to apply the vendor-supplied updates that remediate the use-after-free condition in the affected Photoshop releases.
EPSS for the CVE rose from a low baseline near 0.0033 to a peak of 0.0962 on 2025-01-22 before receding, indicating a period of increased exploitation interest well after initial disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2022-37212
Vulnerability details
Adobe Photoshop versions 22.5.7 (and earlier) and 23.3.2 (and earlier) are affected by a Use After Free vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in…
more
that a victim must open a malicious file.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Use-after-free exploits that achieve arbitrary code execution are blocked or significantly hardened by non-executable pages and ASLR.