# CVE-2019-8236: Privilege escalation in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop application

> Attackers can exploit a security bypass in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop to escalate privileges within the current user context.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Oct 2019
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r947-xpmq-5gjg

## What is CVE-2019-8236?

CVE-2019-8236 is a critical vulnerability in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop application, published on 23 Oct 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Creative Cloud Desktop Application version 4.6.1 and earlier versions have Security Bypass vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to Privilege Escalation in the context of the current user.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-8236?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe Creative Cloud.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-8236?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-8236 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-8236 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-8236 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop application

- [CVE-2020-9669](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9669/): Privilege escalation in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-7958](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-7958/): Privilege escalation in Creative Cloud Desktop Application (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-7959](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-7959/): Supply chain in Creative Cloud Desktop Application (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-12829](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12829/): Security feature bypass in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application before 4.6.1 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-4991](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4991/): Security feature bypass in Creative Cloud Desktop Application 4.4.1.298 and earlier versions (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-8236 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-8236 is a critical vulnerability in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop application, published on 23 Oct 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-8236 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop application. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8236/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8236/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-8236
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-8236
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-8236

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8236/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.