Overview
InDesign Desktop, a widely used desktop publishing and typesetting software, is grappling with a serious cybersecurity issue. The software, in its versions 20.4, 19.5.4 and earlier, is affected by a Use After Free vulnerability classified under CVE-2025-54225. This vulnerability can lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. If exploited, this could potentially compromise the system or lead to data leakage. Given the widespread use of InDesign Desktop across various sectors, this vulnerability poses a serious risk to information security.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-54225
Severity: High (7.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Impact: System compromise and potential data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
InDesign Desktop | 20.4 and earlier
InDesign Desktop | 19.5.4 and earlier
How the Exploit Works
The Use After Free vulnerability in InDesign Desktop is a memory corruption flaw that happens when the software continues to reference memory after it has been freed/deleted. This can lead to arbitrary code execution. An attacker can craft a malicious file that exploits this vulnerability. Once the user opens this file, the attacker can execute arbitrary code within the context of the current user.
Conceptual Example Code
While specific exploit code for CVE-2025-54225 has not been publicly disclosed to prevent misuse, an example of a general Use After Free exploit is shown below. This is a simplified pseudocode representation and does not represent a real exploit.
# Pseudocode for a Use After Free vulnerability
class VulnerableObject:
def execute(self, command):
eval(command)
def exploit():
obj = VulnerableObject()
obj.execute("some command")
del obj # Object is deleted here
obj.execute("malicious command") # But it's still being used here
exploit()In the context of CVE-2025-54225, the “malicious command” would be embedded in a file that the user opens, leading to the execution of arbitrary code.
Mitigations
Users of affected InDesign Desktop versions are strongly advised to apply the vendor-provided patch immediately. In the interim, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation. Regularly updating and patching software is a key practice in preventing the exploitation of such vulnerabilities.