Overview
The cybersecurity world has recently been alerted to a newly discovered vulnerability, CVE-2025-54232, that affects Adobe Framemaker versions 2020.8, 2022.6 and earlier. This vulnerability is particularly concerning due to its potential to enable arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. It has widespread implications, as Adobe Framemaker is a popular software used by individuals and organizations to write and edit large documents. This vulnerability is significant because it could potentially compromise systems or lead to data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-54232
Severity: High (7.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
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Product | Affected Versions
Adobe Framemaker | 2020.8, 2022.6 and earlier versions
How The Exploit Works
This vulnerability is a Use After Free vulnerability, a type of memory corruption flaw that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code. In the context of Adobe Framemaker, the vulnerability is triggered when a user opens a malicious file. This action allows the attacker to exploit the vulnerability and execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. This can potentially compromise the entire system or lead to data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
Here’s a conceptual example to illustrate how this vulnerability might be exploited. Note that this is a basic representation and real-world exploits might be more complex.
# Pseudo code to exploit CVE-2025-54232
def exploit(target_file):
malicious_payload = generate_malicious_payload()
file = open(target_file, 'w')
file.write(malicious_payload)
file.close()
execute_via_framemaker(target_file)In this pseudo code, a malicious payload is generated and written to a target file. The file is then opened via Adobe Framemaker, which triggers the vulnerability and executes the malicious payload.
Mitigation Guidance
To mitigate the CVE-2025-54232 vulnerability, it is recommended to apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation. It is also advised to avoid opening files from untrusted sources to reduce the risk of exploitation.