CVE-2025-21159: Adobe Illustrator RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-21159 Overview

CVE-2025-21159 is a Use After Free vulnerability [CWE-416] affecting Adobe Illustrator versions 29.1, 28.7.3, and earlier. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. The vulnerability requires user interaction, as a victim must open a malicious file crafted by an attacker. Adobe published the security advisory APSB25-11 on February 11, 2025, addressing this issue alongside other Illustrator vulnerabilities. The flaw impacts both Windows and macOS installations of Illustrator.

Critical Impact
Attackers can achieve arbitrary code execution under the current user's privileges by delivering a malicious Illustrator file that triggers memory reuse after deallocation.

Affected Products

Adobe Illustrator 29.1 and earlier
Adobe Illustrator 28.7.3 and earlier
Installations on Apple macOS and Microsoft Windows

Discovery Timeline

2025-02-11 - Adobe releases security advisory APSB25-11
2025-02-11 - CVE-2025-21159 published to NVD
2025-03-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-21159

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a Use After Free condition [CWE-416] in Adobe Illustrator's file parsing logic. Use After Free occurs when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed. An attacker who controls the freed memory region can place crafted data there, redirecting execution flow when the dangling pointer is dereferenced.

Exploitation results in arbitrary code execution in the context of the user running Illustrator. On workstations where designers operate with elevated privileges, this can provide attackers a strong foothold for lateral movement.

The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. The victim must open a malicious Illustrator file, typically delivered through phishing, watering-hole sites, or compromised file-sharing channels. No network exposure of Illustrator is required.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper lifecycle management of an internal object during parsing of a crafted Illustrator document. After the object is freed, code paths in the parser continue to access the stale pointer. Adobe has not published low-level details about the affected component. Refer to the Adobe Illustrator Security Advisory for vendor-confirmed information.

Attack Vector

An attacker crafts a malicious .ai or related Illustrator file containing structures that trigger the Use After Free during parsing. The file is delivered to the victim through email attachments, shared drives, or download links. Opening the file in a vulnerable Illustrator version triggers the dangling pointer dereference and executes the attacker's payload under the user's account.

No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available. The vulnerability mechanism is described in prose only because Adobe has not released technical specifics and no exploit is published in public vulnerability databases.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-21159

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by Illustrator.exe on Windows or the Adobe Illustrator process on macOS, such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or shell interpreters.
Unusual outbound network connections initiated by the Illustrator process shortly after a document is opened.
Creation of executables or scripts in user-writable directories such as %APPDATA%, %TEMP%, or ~/Library/Application Support immediately following Illustrator activity.

Detection Strategies

Hunt for process lineage where Illustrator spawns scripting or command-line interpreters, which is anomalous for normal design workflows.
Inspect Illustrator files received from untrusted sources for malformed structures using file analysis tools before opening them.
Correlate document-open telemetry with subsequent file system, registry, or persistence changes on the same host.

Monitoring Recommendations

Log Illustrator process creation events and forward them to a centralized analytics platform for behavioral review.
Monitor endpoints running Illustrator versions at or below 29.1 and 28.7.3 until patching is verified.
Track email gateway and web proxy logs for delivery of Illustrator file types from external senders.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-21159

Immediate Actions Required

Update Adobe Illustrator to the versions specified in Adobe security bulletin APSB25-11 on all Windows and macOS endpoints.
Inventory installations of Illustrator across the environment and prioritize systems used by users with administrative privileges.
Instruct users to avoid opening Illustrator files received from untrusted or unverified sources until patching is complete.

Patch Information

Adobe addressed CVE-2025-21159 in the security update published on February 11, 2025. Refer to the Adobe Illustrator Security Advisory for fixed version numbers and update instructions. Apply the patch through the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application or enterprise deployment tooling.

Workarounds

Restrict opening of Illustrator files to those originating from trusted internal sources until patches are deployed.
Apply application allowlisting to prevent Illustrator from spawning command-line interpreters or unauthorized child processes.
Reduce user privileges on systems running Illustrator so that successful exploitation yields limited account context rather than administrative access.

bash

# Verify installed Adobe Illustrator version on Windows via PowerShell
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*" |
  Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like "*Illustrator*" } |
  Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher