CVE-2025-43591: Adobe InDesign Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2025-43591 Overview

CVE-2025-43591 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability affecting Adobe InDesign Desktop versions 19.5.3 and earlier. The flaw allows arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user when a victim opens a malicious file. The vulnerability is categorized under [CWE-122] and requires user interaction to trigger. Adobe published security advisory APSB25-60 to address this issue across affected versions on Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS platforms.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation grants attackers arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user, enabling installation of malware, data theft, or lateral movement from the compromised workstation.

Affected Products

• Adobe InDesign Desktop versions 19.5.3 and earlier
• Microsoft Windows installations of Adobe InDesign
• Apple macOS installations of Adobe InDesign

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-07-08 - CVE-2025-43591 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
• 2025-07-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-43591

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a heap-based buffer overflow [CWE-122] in Adobe InDesign Desktop. Heap-based buffer overflows occur when an application writes data beyond the boundaries of a buffer allocated on the heap. Attackers can leverage this condition to overwrite adjacent heap metadata or function pointers. Successful manipulation of heap structures can redirect program execution to attacker-controlled code.

In this case, the parsing logic in InDesign mishandles input from a crafted document file. Processing the malformed file triggers an out-of-bounds write on the heap. The resulting memory corruption can be shaped into a code execution primitive.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper validation of input data length or structure during file parsing. InDesign allocates a heap buffer based on assumed input constraints, then writes attacker-supplied content without enforcing those constraints. This mismatch creates the overflow condition that corrupts adjacent heap memory.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. An attacker delivers a malicious InDesign document through email, file sharing platforms, or a compromised website. The victim must open the crafted file in a vulnerable InDesign version. Upon parsing, the heap overflow triggers and the attacker payload executes under the user's account context. Standard user privileges are sufficient for the initial compromise, with no authentication required by the attacker.

No verified public proof-of-concept exploit is available. See the Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-60 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-43591

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected child processes spawned by InDesign.exe on Windows or the InDesign application bundle on macOS, particularly command interpreters such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or /bin/sh.
• Crashes or abnormal termination of InDesign correlated with opening untrusted .indd, .indt, or related document files.
• Outbound network connections originating from the InDesign process to unfamiliar external hosts.

Detection Strategies

• Monitor process lineage for InDesign spawning unexpected utilities or shells.
• Inspect file creation, modification, and execution events in user profile directories that follow the opening of InDesign documents from external sources.
• Apply behavioral analytics to identify memory corruption indicators such as unusual heap allocation patterns or unhandled exception events within the InDesign process.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Windows Defender Exploit Guard or equivalent macOS protections, including hardened runtime and library validation, to detect exploitation attempts.
• Forward endpoint telemetry to a centralized SIEM for correlation of InDesign crashes with subsequent suspicious activity.
• Track delivery channels for design document files, including email gateways and shared storage, to identify campaigns targeting creative professionals.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-43591

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Adobe InDesign Desktop to the version specified in Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-60.
• Inventory all endpoints running InDesign and prioritize patching for users who routinely process external design files.
• Instruct users to avoid opening InDesign documents received from untrusted or unverified sources.

Patch Information

Adobe released fixed versions through security bulletin APSB25-60 on July 8, 2025. Administrators should install the updated InDesign Desktop builds on both Windows and macOS systems. Full remediation details and download links are available in the Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-60.

Workarounds

• Restrict opening of InDesign files to those originating from verified internal or trusted external sources until patches are deployed.
• Apply application allowlisting and least-privilege account policies to limit the impact of code execution under user context.
• Use email and web gateway scanning to inspect and quarantine InDesign document attachments from untrusted senders.

# Configuration example
# Verify installed InDesign version on macOS
mdls -name kMDItemVersion "/Applications/Adobe InDesign 2024/Adobe InDesign 2024.app"

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