CVE-2025-43590: Adobe InDesign RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-43590 Overview

CVE-2025-43590 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability [CWE-787] affecting Adobe InDesign Desktop versions ID20.2, ID19.5.3, and earlier. The flaw allows attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user when a victim opens a crafted InDesign file. The vulnerability affects InDesign deployments on both Apple macOS and Microsoft Windows. Adobe addressed the issue in its June 2025 security advisory APSB25-53.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation grants attackers arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user opening the malicious file, enabling full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected workstation.

Affected Products

Adobe InDesign Desktop ID20.2 and earlier
Adobe InDesign Desktop ID19.5.3 and earlier
Apple macOS and Microsoft Windows installations running affected InDesign versions

Discovery Timeline

2025-06-10 - CVE-2025-43590 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2025-06-10 - Adobe published security bulletin APSB25-53
2025-06-16 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-43590

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an out-of-bounds write classified under [CWE-787]. InDesign improperly validates buffer boundaries when parsing crafted document structures, allowing attacker-controlled data to be written outside allocated memory regions. Writing past a buffer boundary corrupts adjacent memory, including heap metadata, function pointers, or object virtual tables. Attackers can use this primitive to redirect execution flow and run arbitrary code in the context of the user running InDesign.

Because InDesign runs without elevated privileges by default, the immediate impact is bound to the user's account. However, attackers commonly combine such flaws with local privilege escalation chains or use them to drop persistent malware, exfiltrate documents, or pivot within enterprise networks.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper bounds checking during the parsing of malformed InDesign document content. When the application processes attacker-controlled fields, length or offset values are trusted without sufficient validation. This causes the write operation to exceed the allocated buffer, corrupting adjacent memory structures.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local user interaction. An attacker crafts a malicious InDesign document and delivers it through phishing email, file-sharing platforms, supply chain compromise, or watering-hole sites. When the victim opens the file in a vulnerable version of InDesign, the parser triggers the out-of-bounds write and executes the attacker's payload. No network access or prior authentication to the host is required beyond the victim opening the file.

No verified code examples or public proof-of-concept exploits are available. See the Adobe InDesign Security Advisory for vendor-supplied technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-43590

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by InDesign.exe on Windows or Adobe InDesign on macOS, particularly shells, scripting interpreters, or rundll32.exe.
InDesign processes writing executables, scripts, or LNK files to user-writable paths such as %APPDATA%, %TEMP%, or ~/Library/LaunchAgents.
Outbound network connections originating from the InDesign process to untrusted hosts immediately after opening a document.
InDesign crashes or repeated faults correlated with opening .indd, .indt, or .idml files from external sources.

Detection Strategies

Build EDR detection rules that flag InDesign as a parent process for command interpreters, scripting hosts, or remote administration tools.
Monitor for memory access violations and unusual exception patterns in InDesign telemetry, which often precede successful exploitation.
Correlate document-open events with subsequent file writes and process creation across endpoints to identify campaigns.

Monitoring Recommendations

Centralize endpoint, email, and proxy logs to trace delivery of suspicious InDesign documents from external senders.
Track installed InDesign versions across the fleet and alert on hosts still running ID20.2, ID19.5.3, or earlier.
Capture process tree and file write telemetry from creative workstations, which are often excluded from standard monitoring.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-43590

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the Adobe-provided InDesign updates listed in bulletin APSB25-53 to all affected workstations.
Inventory creative team endpoints and prioritize patching systems where InDesign opens externally sourced files.
Instruct users to avoid opening InDesign documents received from untrusted sources until patches are deployed.
Block inbound delivery of unsolicited .indd, .indt, and .idml attachments at the email gateway during the patching window.

Patch Information

Adobe released fixed versions of InDesign in June 2025. Administrators should consult the Adobe InDesign Security Advisory APSB25-53 for the exact patched build numbers for each supported track and apply updates through the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application or enterprise deployment tooling.

Workarounds

Restrict InDesign use to documents originating from trusted internal sources until patches are applied.
Run InDesign under standard user accounts to limit the impact of code execution.
Use application allowlisting and attack surface reduction rules to block InDesign from spawning command interpreters and scripting hosts.

bash

# Identify Windows hosts running vulnerable InDesign builds
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_Product |
  Where-Object { $_.Name -like 'Adobe InDesign*' } |
  Select-Object Name, Version, InstallDate