CVE-2025-54281 Overview
CVE-2025-54281 is a Use After Free vulnerability [CWE-416] in Adobe FrameMaker versions 2020.9, 2022.7, and earlier. The flaw allows arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user when a victim opens a crafted file. Exploitation requires user interaction, limiting mass-exploitation scenarios but making the vulnerability suitable for targeted phishing and social engineering campaigns.
Adobe addressed the issue in security bulletin APSB25-101. The vulnerability carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 and affects FrameMaker installations on Microsoft Windows. No public proof-of-concept code or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation grants arbitrary code execution under the privileges of the logged-in user, enabling document-borne malware delivery against technical writing and documentation teams.
Affected Products
- Adobe FrameMaker 2020.9 and earlier 2020.x releases
- Adobe FrameMaker 2022.7 and earlier 2022.x releases
- Microsoft Windows installations running affected FrameMaker versions
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-14 - CVE-2025-54281 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-54281
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a Use After Free condition [CWE-416] within Adobe FrameMaker's file parsing routines. A Use After Free occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the underlying memory has been released. Attackers who control the memory layout at the moment of reuse can redirect execution to attacker-controlled data.
The attack vector is local (AV:L) because exploitation requires the victim to open a malicious document on a system with FrameMaker installed. The impact spans confidentiality, integrity, and availability, since arbitrary code runs with the user's privileges. EPSS data places the exploitation probability at 0.197% as of the most recent scoring cycle.
Root Cause
The defect stems from improper object lifetime management in FrameMaker's document parser. When processing a malformed structure inside a FrameMaker-compatible file (such as .fm, .mif, or related formats), the application frees an internal object but retains a dangling reference. Subsequent operations dereference the freed memory, allowing attackers who groom the heap to control function pointers or virtual table entries reached during continued parsing.
Attack Vector
An attacker crafts a malicious FrameMaker document that triggers the Use After Free during parsing. The file is delivered through email, file-sharing services, or compromised document repositories. When the victim opens the file in a vulnerable FrameMaker build, the corrupted memory state leads to arbitrary code execution in the user's session. No privileges are required beyond the user's own, and no network access to the target is needed.
Adobe does not publish technical exploitation details for this advisory. Refer to the Adobe Security Advisory APSB25-101 for vendor guidance.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-54281
Indicators of Compromise
- FrameMaker process (FrameMaker.exe) spawning unexpected child processes such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, rundll32.exe, or wscript.exe
- Unsigned binaries or scripts written to user-writable paths (%TEMP%, %APPDATA%) shortly after a FrameMaker document is opened
- Outbound network connections from FrameMaker.exe to unfamiliar domains immediately following document open events
- FrameMaker crash reports referencing access violations during file parsing
Detection Strategies
- Hunt for FrameMaker.exe parent-child process anomalies in EDR telemetry, focusing on script interpreters and living-off-the-land binaries
- Apply YARA rules to scan inbound .fm and .mif attachments for malformed object structures referenced in vendor advisories
- Correlate document open events with subsequent file writes and registry persistence attempts within the same user session
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable command-line auditing and Sysmon event ID 1 and 11 logging on workstations running FrameMaker
- Forward endpoint telemetry to a centralized data lake for behavioral correlation across document open and post-execution events
- Alert on FrameMaker crash dumps to surface failed exploitation attempts before successful intrusions occur
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-54281
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Adobe FrameMaker 2020 to version 2020.10 or later, and FrameMaker 2022 to version 2022.8 or later, per Adobe's APSB25-101 guidance
- Block inbound .fm, .mif, .book, and related FrameMaker file types at the email gateway pending patch deployment
- Restrict FrameMaker usage to dedicated documentation workstations and remove the application from machines that do not require it
Patch Information
Adobe released fixed builds through security bulletin APSB25-101. Administrators should download the updated installers from the Adobe Licensing Website or the Creative Cloud desktop application and verify version numbers after deployment.
Workarounds
- Run FrameMaker under a standard user account, never with administrative privileges, to limit the blast radius of successful exploitation
- Open untrusted FrameMaker documents only within isolated virtual machines or Windows Sandbox instances
- Enforce Microsoft Defender Attack Surface Reduction rules that block Office and document-based applications from launching child processes
# Verify installed FrameMaker version on Windows (PowerShell)
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*" |
Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like "*FrameMaker*" } |
Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, InstallDate
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
