CVE-2025-24440: Adobe Substance 3D Sampler RCE Flaw

CVE-2025-24440 Overview

CVE-2025-24440 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability [CWE-787] affecting Adobe Substance 3D Sampler versions 4.5.2 and earlier. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. The flaw is triggered when a victim opens a maliciously crafted file in the vulnerable application. Adobe addressed the issue in security advisory APSB25-16.

Critical Impact

Attackers can achieve arbitrary code execution under the privileges of the current user by convincing a victim to open a malicious Substance 3D Sampler file.

Affected Products

• Adobe Substance 3D Sampler 4.5.2
• Adobe Substance 3D Sampler earlier than 4.5.2
• Windows and macOS installations of Substance 3D Sampler

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-03-11 - CVE-2025-24440 published to NVD
• 2025-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-24440

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an out-of-bounds write within Adobe Substance 3D Sampler's file parsing logic. When the application processes a malformed asset or project file, it writes data past the bounds of an allocated buffer. This corruption of adjacent memory enables an attacker to influence program control flow. Because Substance 3D Sampler runs with the privileges of the invoking user, successful exploitation yields code execution at that privilege level. The attack vector is local and requires user interaction, but no authentication is needed to deliver the payload.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper validation of input data length or offset values during file deserialization, classified under [CWE-787]. The parser trusts attacker-controlled fields when computing write destinations, allowing writes beyond the boundary of the target buffer. Adobe's advisory APSB25-16 confirms the defect and ships corrected bounds checks in the patched build.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires social engineering. An attacker delivers a crafted Substance 3D Sampler project, scene, or asset file through email, a shared drive, a download link, or a compromised asset repository. When the victim opens the file, the malicious data triggers the out-of-bounds write, overwrites in-process structures, and redirects execution to attacker-controlled code. The resulting process inherits the user's permissions and can access files, persist on disk, or pivot further into the environment. No verified public proof-of-concept is currently available, and the EPSS probability remains low.

No verified public exploit code is available. Refer to the Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-16 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24440

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected crashes or exception events generated by Adobe Substance 3D Sampler.exe when opening third-party files.
• Substance 3D Sampler spawning child processes such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or bash, which is not part of normal application behavior.
• Inbound Substance 3D Sampler project files (.sbs, .sbsar, .ssa) arriving from untrusted sources or email attachments.

Detection Strategies

• Monitor endpoints for process-creation events where Substance 3D Sampler is the parent of scripting interpreters or living-off-the-land binaries.
• Hunt for writes to user-writable persistence locations (Run keys, Startup folder, LaunchAgents) shortly after Substance 3D Sampler launches a file.
• Correlate file-open telemetry with subsequent network connections initiated by the Substance 3D Sampler process.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed process and image-load logging on workstations used by 3D artists and design teams.
• Track installed versions of Substance 3D Sampler across the fleet and alert when 4.5.2 or earlier is detected.
• Capture EDR telemetry for memory-protection violations originating in the Substance 3D Sampler process space.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24440

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Adobe Substance 3D Sampler to the fixed version listed in advisory APSB25-16.
• Inventory all endpoints running Substance 3D Sampler and prioritize patching for users who routinely open externally sourced asset files.
• Instruct users to avoid opening Substance 3D project or asset files received from untrusted senders until patching is complete.

Patch Information

Adobe released a fixed build through the Creative Cloud Desktop application as documented in Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-16. Apply the vendor-provided update to remediate CVE-2025-24440. Verify the installed build after deployment to confirm versions above 4.5.2 are present.

Workarounds

• Restrict Substance 3D Sampler execution to non-administrative user accounts to limit blast radius from successful exploitation.
• Use email and web gateway controls to block or sandbox Substance 3D project file types from untrusted external sources.
• Apply application allow-listing to prevent Substance 3D Sampler from spawning command interpreters or unsigned binaries.

# Verify the installed Substance 3D Sampler version on Windows
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Substance 3D Sampler" /v Version

# Verify on macOS
defaults read "/Applications/Adobe Substance 3D Sampler/Adobe Substance 3D Sampler.app/Contents/Info.plist" CFBundleShortVersionString