CVE-2025-54208: Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability in InDesign Desktop Leading to Arbitrary Code Execution

Overview

InDesign Desktop, a popular application amongst designers and publishers, has recently been flagged for a severe vulnerability that affects versions 20.4, 19.5.4 and earlier. This vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-54208, can lead to an out-of-bounds write issue resulting in arbitrary code execution. This means that an attacker could potentially execute malicious code in the context of the current user, which could compromise the system or lead to data leakage. Given the widespread use of InDesign Desktop, this vulnerability poses a significant risk and demands immediate attention.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-54208
Severity: High (7.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

InDesign Desktop | 20.4, 19.5.4 and earlier

How the Exploit Works

This vulnerability stems from an out-of-bounds write issue in the affected versions of InDesign Desktop. An attacker could craft a malicious file, which when opened by a user, could trigger the vulnerability, leading to arbitrary code execution. This would allow the attacker to execute code in the context of the current user, potentially compromising the system or leading to data leakage. The exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction, which means the victim must open the malicious file for the exploit to be successful.

Conceptual Example Code

While the exact details of the vulnerability remain undisclosed for security reasons, an example of how such exploits could be performed is given below. This is a conceptual representation and may not work in a real-world scenario.

# Create a malicious file
echo "malicious code" > malicious.idml
# Send the malicious file to the victim
mail -s "Important Document" victim@example.com < malicious.idml

In this example, the attacker creates a malicious file (`malicious.idml`) with arbitrary code and sends it via email to the victim. If the victim opens the file using an affected version of InDesign Desktop, the arbitrary code could be executed, potentially compromising the system or leading to data leakage.

Mitigation

The recommended mitigation for this vulnerability is to apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available. Until then, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can be used as temporary mitigation. These systems can help detect and prevent malicious activities, protecting the system until a permanent fix is applied. Users should also exercise caution when opening files from unknown sources, as this vulnerability requires user interaction for exploitation.