CVE-2025-54262: Adobe Substance 3D Stager RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-54262 Overview

CVE-2025-54262 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability affecting Adobe Substance 3D Stager versions 3.1.3 and earlier. The flaw resides in the file parsing logic and triggers when the application processes a crafted file. An attacker can leverage the condition to execute code in the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically opening a malicious file delivered through phishing, file sharing, or other social engineering channels. The vulnerability is tracked as CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read and impacts installations on both Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution under the privileges of the user opening the crafted Substance 3D Stager file.

Affected Products

Adobe Substance 3D Stager 3.1.3 and earlier
Microsoft Windows installations of Substance 3D Stager
Apple macOS installations of Substance 3D Stager

Discovery Timeline

2025-09-16 - CVE-2025-54262 published to NVD
2025-09-18 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-54262

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an out-of-bounds read in the file parsing routines of Adobe Substance 3D Stager. When the application processes a malformed input file, it reads past the end of an allocated memory structure. This condition can disclose adjacent memory contents and, under controlled conditions, corrupt program state in ways that enable arbitrary code execution. The issue is exploitable locally and requires the victim to open a malicious asset crafted by the attacker.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or insufficient bounds validation during deserialization of file structures consumed by Substance 3D Stager. The parser trusts size or offset fields from the input file and dereferences pointers beyond the bounds of the allocated buffer. This class of defect maps to CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read. Adobe addressed the flaw in the release referenced by Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-81.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. An attacker crafts a malicious Substance 3D project or asset file and delivers it to the target through email, a shared workspace, a download link, or a compromised content library. When the user opens the file in a vulnerable version of Substance 3D Stager, the parser triggers the out-of-bounds read. The attacker then gains code execution at the privilege level of the user running the application.

// No verified public proof-of-concept is available for CVE-2025-54262.
// Refer to Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-81 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-54262

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by Adobe Substance 3D Stager.exe (Windows) or the macOS application bundle, such as command shells or scripting interpreters.
Substance 3D Stager crash events or Windows Error Reporting entries referencing access violations during file open operations.
Inbound Substance 3D project or asset files originating from untrusted external sources, particularly via email attachments or messaging platforms.

Detection Strategies

Monitor process lineage where Substance 3D Stager is the parent of cmd.exe, powershell.exe, bash, osascript, or other interpreters.
Alert on Substance 3D Stager performing outbound network connections to unfamiliar domains shortly after a file open event.
Hunt for newly created executables or scripts in user-writable directories with Substance 3D Stager as the creating process.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable endpoint telemetry collection on workstations used by 3D content creators and design teams.
Track installed versions of Adobe Substance 3D Stager and flag hosts running 3.1.3 or earlier.
Correlate file open events with subsequent process and network activity to identify exploitation attempts.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-54262

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Adobe Substance 3D Stager to the fixed version listed in Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-81.
Inventory all Windows and macOS endpoints running Substance 3D Stager and prioritize patching for users who routinely open third-party assets.
Instruct users to avoid opening Substance 3D project or asset files received from untrusted sources until patching is complete.

Patch Information

Adobe released a fixed version of Substance 3D Stager addressing CVE-2025-54262. Patch details, affected versions, and download links are published in Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-81. Apply the update through standard software deployment tooling across all managed Windows and macOS endpoints.

Workarounds

Restrict the opening of Substance 3D files to assets from trusted, internal, or verified sources.
Run Substance 3D Stager under a standard user account rather than an administrator account to limit the impact of code execution.
Apply application allowlisting and email attachment filtering to block delivery of unsolicited 3D project files.

bash

# Example: query installed Substance 3D Stager version on Windows via PowerShell
Get-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*' |
  Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like 'Adobe Substance 3D Stager*' } |
  Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, InstallLocation