Adobe Substance 3D Stager: Stack-based buffer overflow allows code execution
Summary
A stack-based buffer overflow in Adobe Substance 3D Stager can lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation requires that a victim opens a malicious file, so the risk is mainly for users who open files from external sources. The CNA rates the issue at CVSS 7.8 (High).
Affected
- Adobe Substance 3D Stager 3.1.8 and earlier
- Windows and macOS
Fixed in
- Adobe Substance 3D Stager 3.1.9 (per APSB26-170)
Workaround
Unknown. No vendor workaround is documented; the vendor recommends updating.
Exploitation
- Adobe is not aware of any exploits in the wild for the issues addressed in APSB26-170.
- No public proof of concept was found.
- Not listed in CISA KEV at the time of research.
Our recommendation
- Update Substance 3D Stager to 3.1.9 on all Windows and macOS installations, via the Creative Cloud desktop app or the Admin Console.
- Prioritise workstations of staff who regularly open external 3D files.
- Until patched, avoid opening untrusted Stager project or asset files.
- Verify in the full APSB26-170 bulletin that CVE-2026-103851 is listed, as the retrieved text could not confirm this.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Adobe Security Bulletin APSB26-170 www.adobe.com
- VulnCheck/Vulners CVE record CVE-2026-103851 vulners.com
- CVE List record CVE-2026-103851 (Vulners) vulners.com
- VulDB entry 418130 vuldb.com
- Strix CVE summary CVE-2026-103851 www.strix.ai
- Mallory summary of APSB26-170 mallory.ai
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 2 Nov 2026, 00:13.
Original description (NVD)
Substance3D - Stager is affected by a Stack-based Buffer Overflow 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.
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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