Adobe patches multiple RCE flaws across InDesign, Commerce, Illustrator
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Adobe releases patches for multiple vulnerabilities across InDesign, Commerce, Illustrator, and other products; most severe enable arbitrary code execution. No active exploitation reported.
Adobe has released security updates addressing multiple vulnerabilities across its product portfolio, the most critical of which could allow arbitrary code execution in the context of the logged-on user. The affected products include Adobe InDesign (versions 20.0 and earlier, 19.5.1 and earlier), Adobe Commerce (multiple versions up to 2.4.7-p3), Magento Open Source (versions up to 2.4.7-p3), Adobe Substance 3D products, Adobe InCopy, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop Elements. The vulnerabilities span multiple weakness categories including out-of-bounds writes and reads, heap-based buffer overflows, use-after-free, integer underflows, NULL pointer dereferences, and authorization bypass flaws.
In Adobe InDesign and related design products, the flaws primarily manifest as memory corruption issues (out-of-bounds writes, buffer overflows, use-after-free) that enable code execution. Adobe Commerce and Magento vulnerabilities include authorization bypass, access control failures, cross-site scripting, path traversal, and business logic errors that could lead to data exposure or unauthorized actions. As of the advisory date (February 11, 2025), there are no reports of these vulnerabilities being actively exploited in the wild. Adobe recommends immediate patching following appropriate testing, and defenders should prioritize systems handling sensitive data or running in authenticated environments. The impact varies by privilege level; users with administrative rights face higher risk.
Mentioned in this report
Detection guidance
Adobe Design Application Spawning Shell or Script Interpreter
InDesign, InCopy or Illustrator spawning a command shell, script host or common LOLBin, which is consistent with post-exploitation of a memory-corruption flaw in a malicious document. Auto-generated starting point — validate and tune in your environment before deploying. IOC matches can false-positive on shared infrastructure and decay as adversary infrastructure rotates.
title: Adobe Design Application Spawning Shell or Script Interpreter
description: Detects Adobe InDesign, InCopy or Illustrator spawning command interpreters,
script hosts or download/proxy-execution LOLBins. Memory-corruption RCE bugs in
these products (OOB write, UAF, heap overflow) typically yield code execution as
the logged-on user, with a child process as the first visible action. Generalises
on the parent/child relation, not on any specific document.
tags:
- attack.execution
- attack.t1203
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
ParentImage|endswith:
- \InDesign.exe
- \InCopy.exe
- \Illustrator.exe
Image|endswith:
- \cmd.exe
- \powershell.exe
- \pwsh.exe
- \wscript.exe
- \cscript.exe
- \mshta.exe
- \rundll32.exe
- \regsvr32.exe
- \certutil.exe
- \bitsadmin.exe
- \curl.exe
- \msiexec.exe
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Studio automation scripts or plugins that shell out to cmd.exe or PowerShell for
batch export or asset handling
- Adobe Creative Cloud installers or plugin installers launching msiexec or rundll32
from the application
level: high
id: 24a45f77-54ef-5929-b963-9b667374c0f1
status: experimental
author: Vorant
references:
- https://www.cisecurity.org/advisory/multiple-vulnerabilities-in-adobe-products-could-allow-for-arbitrary-code-execution_2025-015
Adobe Design Application Dropping Executable or Script Content in User-Writable Paths
InDesign, InCopy or Illustrator writing executables, DLLs or scripts to temp, public or download locations, which may indicate a payload dropped after document-based exploitation. Auto-generated starting point — validate and tune in your environment before deploying. IOC matches can false-positive on shared infrastructure and decay as adversary infrastructure rotates.
title: Adobe Design Application Dropping Executable or Script Content in User-Writable
Paths
description: Detects Adobe InDesign, InCopy or Illustrator creating executable or
script files (exe, dll, scr, ps1, bat, vbs, js, hta) in user-writable staging locations.
Possible payload drop following exploitation of a memory-corruption vulnerability
triggered by a crafted file. Generalises on the process and file type, not on filenames.
tags:
- attack.execution
- attack.t1203
logsource:
category: file_event
product: windows
detection:
selection_proc:
Image|endswith:
- \InDesign.exe
- \InCopy.exe
- \Illustrator.exe
selection_file:
TargetFilename|endswith:
- .exe
- .dll
- .scr
- .ps1
- .bat
- .vbs
- .js
- .hta
selection_path:
TargetFilename|contains:
- \AppData\Local\Temp\
- \Users\Public\
- \Downloads\
- \ProgramData\
filter_adobe:
TargetFilename|contains:
- \Adobe\
- \Adobe InDesign
condition: selection_proc and selection_file and selection_path and not filter_adobe
falsepositives:
- Third-party plugin installers or updaters extracting helper DLLs to a temp directory
- Extension or script packages (JSX/JS) saved by designers into Downloads
level: medium
id: 71c68f4c-e585-5e96-a342-3c54c16d7894
status: experimental
author: Vorant
references:
- https://www.cisecurity.org/advisory/multiple-vulnerabilities-in-adobe-products-could-allow-for-arbitrary-code-execution_2025-015
Behavioural rules are generated from public reporting — validate in your environment before deploying.
Source reporting: https://www.cisecurity.org/advisory/multiple-vulnerabilities-in-adobe-products-could-allow-for-arbitrary-code-execution_2025-015
What this brief leaves out
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