# CVE-2020-24422: Uncontrolled Search Path in Creative Cloud Desktop Application

> An attacker can execute arbitrary code by tricking a user into opening a malicious file, exploiting an uncontrolled search path in the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Oct 2020
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-ppgq-qwrp-qpwp

## What is CVE-2020-24422?

CVE-2020-24422 is a high-severity vulnerability in Adobe Creative Cloud (desktop component), published on 21 Oct 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application version 5.2 (and earlier) and 2.1 (and earlier) for Windows is affected by an uncontrolled search path 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.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-24422?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe Creative Cloud.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-24422?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-24422 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-24422 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-24422 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Creative Cloud (desktop component)

- [CVE-2020-9669](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9669/): Privilege escalation in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-8236](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8236/): 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)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-24422 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-24422 is a high-severity vulnerability in Adobe Creative Cloud (desktop component), published on 21 Oct 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-24422 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Adobe Creative Cloud (desktop component). 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-2020-24422/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-24422/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-24422
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-24422
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-24422

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-24422/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.