📄 Description (English)
After Effects versions 25.6 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 that a victim must open a malicious file.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
Adobe After Effects versions 25.6 and earlier contain a Use After Free vulnerability (CVE-2026-21323) that could enable arbitrary code execution with user-level privileges. The vulnerability requires user interaction through opening a malicious file, making it a moderate-to-high risk for creative professionals and organizations using video production workflows. A patch is available and should be deployed promptly to mitigate exploitation risks.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 28, 2026 14:11
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi media production companies, government media agencies (SPGA), educational institutions with film/animation programs, and advertising agencies using After Effects face direct risk. The vulnerability could compromise creative assets, enable lateral movement within production networks, and potentially expose sensitive content in government communications or national media productions. Organizations in the Kingdom's growing digital media sector and Vision 2030 creative industries initiatives are particularly vulnerable.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Media and Broadcasting
Government Communications
Advertising and Marketing
Education and Training
Entertainment and Film Production
Digital Content Creation
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
6.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
1. IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
- Identify all After Effects installations across the organization (versions 25.6 and earlier)
- Disable After Effects access until patching is complete
- Alert users not to open After Effects files from untrusted sources
- Implement file-level restrictions on .aep, .aepx, and related project files
2. PATCHING GUIDANCE:
- Update Adobe After Effects to version 25.7 or later immediately
- Use Adobe Creative Cloud auto-update or manual download from adobe.com
- Verify patch installation by checking Help > About After Effects
- Test patched version in non-production environment first
3. COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if immediate patching delayed):
- Restrict After Effects to isolated workstations without network access
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized code execution
- Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor process behavior
- Disable macro execution in related file types
4. DETECTION RULES:
- Monitor for unexpected child processes spawned by AfterFX.exe
- Alert on After Effects accessing unusual system directories or registry keys
- Track file access patterns for .aep files from external/email sources
- Monitor memory corruption indicators and heap spray attempts
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
1. الإجراءات الفورية:
- تحديد جميع تثبيتات After Effects عبر المؤسسة (الإصدارات 25.6 والأقدم)
- تعطيل وصول After Effects حتى اكتمال التصحيح
- تنبيه المستخدمين بعدم فتح ملفات After Effects من مصادر غير موثوقة
- تطبيق قيود على مستوى الملفات على ملفات .aep و .aepx والملفات المشروعة ذات الصلة
2. إرشادات التصحيح:
- تحديث Adobe After Effects إلى الإصدار 25.7 أو أحدث فوراً
- استخدام تحديث Adobe Creative Cloud التلقائي أو التنزيل اليدوي من adobe.com
- التحقق من تثبيت التصحيح عبر Help > About After Effects
- اختبار الإصدار المصحح في بيئة غير إنتاجية أولاً
3. الضوابط البديلة (إذا تأخر التصحيح الفوري):
- تقييد After Effects على محطات عمل معزولة بدون وصول للشبكة
- تطبيق قائمة بيضاء للتطبيقات لمنع تنفيذ الأكواد غير المصرح بها
- استخدام أدوات كشف ومعالجة نقاط النهاية (EDR) لمراقبة سلوك العملية
- تعطيل تنفيذ الماكروهات في أنواع الملفات ذات الصلة
4. قواعد الكشف:
- مراقبة العمليات الفرعية غير المتوقعة التي ينتجها AfterFX.exe
- التنبيه عند وصول After Effects إلى مجلدات النظام أو مفاتيح السجل غير المعتادة
- تتبع أنماط الوصول إلى الملفات لملفات .aep من مصادر خارجية/بريد إلكتروني
- مراقبة مؤشرات تلف الذاكرة ومحاولات heap spray
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
A.5.1.1 - Information security policies and procedures
A.8.1.3 - Segregation of duties
A.12.2.1 - Controls against malware
A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
🔵 SAMA CSF
ID.RA-1 - Asset management and vulnerability identification
PR.IP-12 - Software development and acquisition security
DE.CM-8 - Vulnerability scans and assessments
RS.MI-2 - Incident response and containment
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
A.12.2.1 - Controls against malware
A.14.2.1 - Secure development policy
A.16.1.5 - Response to information security incidents
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
adobe:after_effects