# CVE-2022-23202: Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Uncontrolled Search Path Element Arbitrary code execution

> An attacker can execute arbitrary code by placing a malicious DLL in the installer folder, requiring user interaction to trigger the load.

- **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:** 16 Feb 2022
- **Updated:** 23 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-59wj-g52m-96w6

## What is CVE-2022-23202?

CVE-2022-23202 is a high-severity vulnerability in Adobe Creative Cloud (desktop component), published on 16 Feb 2022. 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 version 2.7.0.13 (and earlier) is affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path Element 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 download a malicious DLL file. The attacker has to deliver the DLL on the same folder as the installer which makes it as a high complexity attack vector.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-23202?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-23202?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-23202 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-23202 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-23202 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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

- [CVE-2020-9671](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9671/): Privilege escalation in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-9682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9682/): Path traversal in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-9670](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9670/): Path traversal in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-48272](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48272/): Creative Cloud Desktop | Uncontrolled Search Path Element (CWE-427) (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-48344](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48344/): GoCart | Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition (CWE-367) (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-23202 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-23202 is a high-severity vulnerability in Adobe Creative Cloud (desktop component), published on 16 Feb 2022. 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-2022-23202 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-2022-23202/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23202/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-23202
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23202
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-23202

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23202/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.