CVE-2025-47131: Adobe FrameMaker Buffer Overflow Flaw

CVE-2025-47131 Overview

CVE-2025-47131 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability [CWE-122] affecting Adobe Framemaker versions 2020.8, 2022.6, and earlier. An attacker can leverage the flaw to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction: the victim must open a malicious file crafted by the attacker. Adobe published the issue in security bulletin APSB25-66 on July 8, 2025.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-47131 grants arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running Adobe Framemaker, enabling malware installation, data theft, or further lateral movement on the host.

Affected Products

Adobe Framemaker 2020 (versions up to and including 2020.8)
Adobe Framemaker 2022 (versions up to and including 2022.6)
Microsoft Windows (supported host operating system)

Discovery Timeline

2025-07-08 - CVE-2025-47131 published to NVD and disclosed via Adobe Security Bulletin APSB25-66
2025-07-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-47131

Vulnerability Analysis

The flaw is a heap-based buffer overflow in Adobe Framemaker's file parsing logic. Framemaker processes structured document files and allocates heap buffers based on values derived from the file contents. When a malicious document supplies crafted size or offset fields, Framemaker writes beyond the bounds of an allocated heap chunk. The out-of-bounds write corrupts adjacent heap metadata or object pointers within the process address space. An attacker controlling the overflow contents can pivot heap corruption into arbitrary code execution under the current user account.

Root Cause

The vulnerability stems from improper validation of length or offset fields parsed from untrusted document files. Framemaker does not verify that input-derived sizes fit within the destination heap allocation before copying data. This omission allows a single malformed structure to overrun the heap buffer, the condition described by [CWE-122].

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local user interaction. An attacker delivers a malicious Framemaker file through email, file share, web download, or removable media. The victim must open the file in a vulnerable Framemaker version to trigger the overflow. No network access or elevated privileges are required by the attacker, and code execution runs at the privilege level of the victim user.

No public proof-of-concept exploit or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported for CVE-2025-47131. Technical specifics of the vulnerable parser have not been published by Adobe. Refer to the Adobe Security Bulletin APSB25-66 for authoritative details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-47131

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by FrameMaker.exe, such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or rundll32.exe.
Crash dumps or Windows Error Reporting events referencing FrameMaker.exe shortly after opening a .fm, .book, or .mif file.
Inbound Framemaker documents from untrusted sources, particularly via email attachments or external file shares.

Detection Strategies

Monitor process creation telemetry for Framemaker spawning shells, scripting interpreters, or LOLBins.
Alert on Framemaker process memory access violations and abnormal exits that may indicate failed or successful exploitation attempts.
Inspect file write activity by FrameMaker.exe to user-writable directories such as %APPDATA%, %TEMP%, and Startup folders.

Monitoring Recommendations

Maintain an inventory of hosts running Adobe Framemaker 2020.8 or 2022.6 and earlier, and prioritize them for patch verification.
Collect endpoint telemetry covering process lineage, module loads, and file I/O for Framemaker hosts.
Forward email gateway logs to identify delivery of Framemaker file types from external senders.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-47131

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the updates referenced in Adobe Security Bulletin APSB25-66 to all Framemaker installations.
Restrict opening of Framemaker documents received from untrusted or unverified sources until patching is complete.
Run Framemaker under standard user accounts rather than administrator accounts to limit the impact of successful exploitation.

Patch Information

Adobe released fixed builds for Framemaker 2020 and Framemaker 2022 in security bulletin APSB25-66 on July 8, 2025. Administrators should upgrade beyond versions 2020.8 and 2022.6 to the versions specified by Adobe. Verify patch deployment by checking the installed Framemaker version under Help → About.

Workarounds

Block or quarantine Framemaker file types (.fm, .book, .mif) at email and web gateways when received from external senders.
Enforce attack surface reduction rules that prevent Office and document applications from spawning child processes where compatible.
Use application allowlisting to constrain which binaries Framemaker is permitted to launch.

bash

# Query installed Adobe Framemaker version on Windows endpoints
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*" |
  Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like "*FrameMaker*" } |
  Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher