CVE-2025-21160: Adobe Illustrator RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-21160 Overview

CVE-2025-21160 is an integer underflow vulnerability [CWE-191] affecting Adobe Illustrator versions 29.1, 28.7.3, and earlier. The flaw can lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction: a victim must open a crafted malicious file in Illustrator. Adobe published a fix in security bulletin APSB25-11. The vulnerability impacts both Windows and macOS installations of Illustrator.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Adobe Illustrator, potentially leading to full compromise of the affected workstation.

Affected Products

Adobe Illustrator 29.1 and earlier (2025 release)
Adobe Illustrator 28.7.3 and earlier (2024 release)
Installations on Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS

Discovery Timeline

2025-02-11 - CVE-2025-21160 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-21160

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified as an integer underflow (wrap or wraparound) [CWE-191]. Integer underflow occurs when an arithmetic operation produces a value lower than the minimum representable value for the integer type, causing the value to wrap around to a large positive number. In Illustrator, this miscalculated value is subsequently used in memory operations such as buffer sizing or index calculation. The resulting out-of-bounds memory access can be steered by an attacker who controls the input file. This produces conditions suitable for arbitrary code execution within the Illustrator process context.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper validation of a numeric field during parsing of a file format handled by Illustrator. When the application performs subtraction or size computation on attacker-controlled values without sufficient bounds checking, the result underflows. The underflowed value is then trusted by downstream allocation or copy routines, breaking memory safety assumptions. Adobe's advisory APSB25-11 confirms the issue and supplies updated builds that correct the validation logic.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. An attacker crafts a malicious Illustrator-compatible file containing the malformed numeric structure that triggers the underflow. The attacker delivers the file through email, web download, shared storage, or supply chain channels. When the victim opens the file in a vulnerable version of Illustrator, the parser triggers the underflow and executes attacker-supplied code under the user's account. No network exposure or elevated privileges are required for the initial compromise.

No public proof-of-concept exploit or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported for CVE-2025-21160. Refer to the Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-11 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-21160

Indicators of Compromise

Adobe Illustrator (Illustrator.exe on Windows, Adobe Illustrator on macOS) spawning unexpected child processes such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, bash, or osascript.
Illustrator processes initiating outbound network connections to untrusted hosts shortly after opening a document.
Crash or abnormal termination of Illustrator immediately after opening a file received from an external source.
Suspicious Illustrator-format files (.ai, .eps, .pdf, .svg) arriving from untrusted email senders or download sources.

Detection Strategies

Monitor process creation events where the parent is Adobe Illustrator and the child is a shell, scripting interpreter, or LOLBin.
Hunt for file writes by the Illustrator process into autorun locations, scheduled task paths, or user startup folders.
Alert on Illustrator loading unusual DLLs or dynamic libraries from user-writable paths.
Compare installed Illustrator versions across the fleet against the patched releases listed in APSB25-11.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward endpoint telemetry (process, file, and network events) from Windows and macOS workstations to a centralized analytics platform.
Track Illustrator version inventory continuously and flag hosts still running 29.1, 28.7.3, or earlier builds.
Enable crash and Windows Error Reporting telemetry to identify exploitation attempts that fail before achieving code execution.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-21160

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the Adobe Illustrator updates referenced in Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-11 to all Windows and macOS endpoints.
Inventory all systems running Illustrator and prioritize patching for users who routinely open files from external sources.
Instruct users to avoid opening Illustrator files received from untrusted sources until patches are deployed.

Patch Information

Adobe released fixed versions of Illustrator through bulletin APSB25-11. Administrators should deploy the updated builds via Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop or enterprise deployment tooling. Confirm successful installation by validating the Illustrator version reported under Help > About Illustrator matches or exceeds the fixed release listed in the advisory.

Workarounds

Restrict opening of Illustrator file formats originating from email attachments or external downloads until patching is complete.
Run Illustrator under standard user accounts rather than administrative accounts to limit the impact of successful exploitation.
Use application allowlisting to prevent Illustrator from spawning shell or scripting interpreters.

bash

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

# Verify installed Adobe Illustrator version on macOS
mdls -name kMDItemVersion "/Applications/Adobe Illustrator 2025/Adobe Illustrator.app"