CVE-2025-54270 Overview
Adobe Animate contains a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability that can expose sensitive memory contents to an attacker. The flaw affects Animate versions 23.0.13, 24.0.10, and earlier on Windows and macOS. Exploitation requires user interaction: a victim must open a malicious file crafted by the attacker. Successful exploitation discloses process memory, which can leak sensitive information useful for further attack stages. Adobe published fixes in security advisory APSB25-97. The weakness is tracked as CWE-476.
Critical Impact
Opening a malicious Animate file triggers a NULL pointer dereference that leaks process memory, exposing confidential data on the local system.
Affected Products
- Adobe Animate 23.0.13 and earlier
- Adobe Animate 24.0.10 and earlier
- Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS installations of the affected versions
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-15 - CVE-2025-54270 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-10-08 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-54270
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in Adobe Animate's file parsing logic. When Animate processes a malformed project or asset file, the application dereferences a pointer that has not been initialized or validated. This NULL pointer dereference does not crash cleanly in all paths; instead, it causes the parser to read from an unintended memory region and expose that data back through the application state. The result is a memory disclosure primitive that leaks process memory to the attacker-controlled file context.
The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. An attacker must craft a malicious file and convince the victim to open it in Adobe Animate. The impact is scoped to confidentiality, with no integrity or availability consequences reported. The EPSS score at publication is 0.217%, reflecting a low observed probability of exploitation in the wild.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper validation of a pointer before dereference during file parsing, classified as [CWE-476 NULL Pointer Dereference]. Adobe has not disclosed the specific component or file format path involved. The disclosure of memory indicates the dereferenced structure is used as a source for data returned to higher-level handlers rather than terminating execution.
Attack Vector
An attacker builds a malicious Animate project file and delivers it through phishing, a compromised web download, a shared asset repository, or a collaborative design workflow. When the victim opens the file in Adobe Animate on Windows or macOS, the parser triggers the NULL pointer dereference and leaks memory contents. No elevated privileges or network access are required. See Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-97 for vendor-provided details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-54270
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected Adobe Animate crashes or faults recorded in Windows Event Log or macOS crash reports after a user opens an external file
- Animate project files (.fla, .xfl) arriving from untrusted email senders, cloud shares, or chat attachments
- Animate processes reading project files from temporary or download directories outside normal workflow paths
Detection Strategies
- Monitor endpoint telemetry for Animate.exe or Adobe Animate process crashes correlated with recently opened files
- Alert on Animate opening files sourced from browser downloads, email clients, or external USB media
- Hunt for anomalous child processes or memory dump artifacts spawned by the Animate process
Monitoring Recommendations
- Collect process execution and file access telemetry from endpoints running Adobe Animate
- Flag opens of .fla, .xfl, and related Animate asset files from non-standard directories for review
- Correlate Animate crash events with recent file transfers from external or untrusted origins
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-54270
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Adobe Animate to the fixed releases listed in Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-97
- Inventory all Windows and macOS endpoints running Animate 23.0.13, 24.0.10, or earlier
- Instruct users to avoid opening Animate project files from unverified senders or external sources
Patch Information
Adobe released patched versions of Animate addressing this issue in bulletin APSB25-97. Apply the vendor update through Adobe Creative Cloud or your managed software distribution process. Confirm the installed build matches or exceeds the versions listed in the advisory before returning workstations to active design work.
Workarounds
- Restrict Animate file handling to trusted internal asset repositories until patches are deployed
- Enforce email and web gateway rules that quarantine .fla and .xfl attachments from external senders
- Apply operating system exploit mitigations such as ASLR and DEP, which remain enabled by default on supported Windows and macOS versions
# Verify installed Adobe Animate version on Windows
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Animate" /s | findstr /i version
# Verify installed Adobe Animate version on macOS
defaults read "/Applications/Adobe Animate 2024/Adobe Animate 2024.app/Contents/Info.plist" CFBundleShortVersionString
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
