Overview
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system has recently identified a significant vulnerability in InDesign Desktop versions 19.5.3 and earlier. Given the CVE ID CVE-2025-47136, this flaw poses a severe threat to users due to its ability to allow arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. This vulnerability is a result of an Integer Underflow (Wrap or Wraparound) issue and requires user interaction – the opening of a malicious file – to be exploited. As a cybersecurity professional, it is crucial to understand the nature of this vulnerability and how to mitigate its potential harm.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-47136
Severity: High (7.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: User
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
InDesign Desktop | 19.5.3 and earlier
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability arises from an Integer Underflow (Wrap or Wraparound) issue in InDesign Desktop versions 19.5.3 and earlier. An Integer Underflow occurs when an operation causes a numeric variable to fall below its minimum value, causing it to “wrap around” to a large positive number. In this case, the vulnerability could lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user.
When a user opens a malicious file, the file exploits the Integer Underflow vulnerability, causing the application to behave unpredictably. This could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to unauthorized system access, data leakage, or even a complete system compromise.
Conceptual Example Code
Below is a conceptual piece of pseudocode that demonstrates how the vulnerability might be exploited:
# Attacker's pseudocode
def exploit(file):
# Create a malicious file exploiting the Integer Underflow vulnerability
malicious_file = create_malicious_file()
# Send the malicious file to the victim
send_file_to_victim(malicious_file)
# Victim's pseudocode
def open_file(file):
# Unknowingly open the malicious file
data = file.read()
# Unpredictable behavior due to Integer Underflow, leading to arbitrary code executionPlease note that this code is purely conceptual and meant to illustrate the vulnerability’s exploitation. It is not meant to be functional or used for malicious purposes.
In the next section, we will delve into the mitigation strategies to secure your systems against this vulnerability.