Adobe products flaw collection enables arbitrary code execution
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Multiple use-after-free and buffer overflow flaws in Adobe InDesign, InCopy, Photoshop, Illustrator, and related tools allow arbitrary code execution; no active exploitation observed.
CIS has published an advisory documenting multiple memory corruption vulnerabilities across Adobe's desktop publishing, image editing, and media management product lines. The affected products include InDesign, InCopy, Photoshop, Illustrator (desktop and iPad versions), Adobe Pass, Substance 3D Stager, and Format Plugins. The most critical issues are use-after-free and heap-based buffer overflow flaws that permit arbitrary code execution in the context of the logged-on user. A successful attacker could install programs, modify or delete data, or create new user accounts depending on the victim's privilege level.
The vulnerabilities span multiple vulnerability classes: use-after-free conditions, heap buffer overflows, out-of-bounds writes and reads, integer underflows, and an authorization bypass in Adobe Pass. Across the affected products, 24 CVE identifiers are assigned. The advisory notes there are currently no reports of active exploitation in the wild. Adobe has released stable channel updates for all affected products, and immediate patching is recommended after appropriate testing.
Mentioned in this report
Detection guidance
Adobe Creative Application Spawning Shell or Script Interpreter
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign or InCopy spawning cmd, PowerShell, script hosts or common LOLBins, which is typical post-exploitation behaviour after a memory-corruption exploit 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 Creative Application Spawning Shell or Script Interpreter
id: b8944188-fec4-54a5-803c-bb38a759303a
status: experimental
description: Detects Adobe desktop publishing and image editing applications (Photoshop,
Illustrator, InDesign, InCopy) spawning command interpreters, script hosts or common
download/execute LOLBins. Successful exploitation of memory corruption flaws (use-after-free,
heap overflow) in these products yields code execution as the logged-on user, and
the usual follow-on step is launching a shell or LOLBin. The rule keys on the parent/child
relation, not on any specific CVE or file.
references:
- https://www.cisecurity.org/advisory/multiple-vulnerabilities-in-adobe-products-could-allow-for-arbitrary-code-execution_2025-104
tags:
- attack.execution
- attack.t1203
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection_parent:
ParentImage|endswith:
- \Photoshop.exe
- \Illustrator.exe
- \InDesign.exe
- \InCopy.exe
selection_child:
Image|endswith:
- \cmd.exe
- \powershell.exe
- \pwsh.exe
- \wscript.exe
- \cscript.exe
- \mshta.exe
- \rundll32.exe
- \regsvr32.exe
- \certutil.exe
- \bitsadmin.exe
- \msiexec.exe
- \curl.exe
- \wmic.exe
condition: selection_parent and selection_child
falsepositives:
- Adobe or third-party plugins and scripted export workflows that shell out to cmd.exe
- Adobe installer or updater components launching msiexec.exe from the application
level: medium
author: Vorant
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_2025-104
What this brief leaves out
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