CVE-2025-54224: Adobe InDesign RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-54224 Overview

CVE-2025-54224 is a Use After Free vulnerability [CWE-416] affecting Adobe InDesign Desktop versions 20.4, 19.5.4, and earlier. Successful exploitation can result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. The vulnerability requires user interaction, as a victim must open a malicious file crafted by an attacker. Adobe published security advisory APSB25-79 addressing this issue across both Windows and macOS platforms.

Critical Impact
Arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user after opening a malicious InDesign file.

Affected Products

Adobe InDesign Desktop 20.4 and earlier
Adobe InDesign Desktop 19.5.4 and earlier
Apple macOS and Microsoft Windows installations of the affected versions

Discovery Timeline

2025-08-12 - CVE CVE-2025-54224 published to NVD
2025-08-13 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-54224

Vulnerability Analysis

The flaw is a Use After Free condition [CWE-416] in Adobe InDesign Desktop. The application references memory after it has been freed, allowing attacker-controlled data to occupy the dangling allocation. When InDesign later dereferences the stale pointer, the attacker can redirect execution flow and run arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user.

Exploitation requires local access combined with user interaction. The victim must open a malicious InDesign document delivered through email, file sharing, or web download. The attack does not require authentication or elevated privileges on the target system before exploitation.

The EPSS score of 0.287% places this vulnerability in the lower probability tier for near-term exploitation activity, and no public proof-of-concept code or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported.

Root Cause

The vulnerability stems from improper memory management when InDesign processes elements within a crafted document. The application releases a heap object but retains a reference to it. Subsequent operations dereference that reference, producing the Use After Free condition that attackers leverage to control program execution.

Attack Vector

An attacker crafts a malicious .indd or related InDesign file and delivers it to the target. When the user opens the file in a vulnerable InDesign Desktop build, the embedded structure triggers the freed-memory access. Refer to the Adobe InDesign Security Advisory APSB25-79 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-54224

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected InDesign process crashes or InDesign.exe exceptions immediately after opening a document from an untrusted source
Child processes spawned by InDesign that execute shells, scripting engines, or download utilities
InDesign documents originating from email attachments or file shares with anomalous file structure or oversized embedded streams

Detection Strategies

Monitor process lineage where InDesign.exe (Windows) or Adobe InDesign (macOS) spawns command interpreters such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, bash, or osascript
Hunt for memory access violations and crash dumps generated by InDesign that correlate with recently opened files
Inspect endpoint telemetry for InDesign writing executable content or persistence artifacts to user-writable directories

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable EDR rules that flag office and creative applications launching scripting hosts or network utilities
Collect and centralize Application and crash logs from endpoints running Adobe Creative Cloud applications
Alert on InDesign document delivery through email gateways when files exceed expected size thresholds or contain embedded executable references

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-54224

Immediate Actions Required

Update Adobe InDesign Desktop to the patched versions identified in Adobe Security Bulletin APSB25-79
Inventory endpoints running InDesign 20.4, 19.5.4, or earlier and prioritize patch deployment for users handling external documents
Instruct users to avoid opening InDesign files received from untrusted sources until patches are applied

Patch Information

Adobe released fixed builds of InDesign Desktop through the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application. Administrators should consult APSB25-79 for exact fixed version numbers and apply updates across both Windows and macOS endpoints.

Workarounds

Restrict InDesign file handling to vetted internal sources until updates are deployed
Apply application allowlisting and block child-process creation from InDesign using endpoint policy controls
Use email and web gateway controls to quarantine InDesign documents from external senders pending review

bash

# Verify installed Adobe InDesign version on macOS
defaults read "/Applications/Adobe InDesign 2024/Adobe InDesign 2024.app/Contents/Info.plist" CFBundleShortVersionString

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