CVE-2021-28593 is a Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability affecting Adobe Illustrator version 25.2.3 and earlier. This vulnerability arises when Adobe Illustrator parses a specially crafted file, leading to improper handling of memory that has already been freed. Specifically, the application may attempt to access or manipulate memory after it has been released, which can result in undefined behavior including potential disclosure of sensitive information. The vulnerability can be exploited by an unauthenticated attacker who convinces a victim to open a maliciously crafted Illustrator file. Exploitation requires user interaction, as the victim must actively open the file for the vulnerability to be triggered. While the vulnerability does not appear to allow remote code execution or privilege escalation directly, it can lead to information disclosure within the context of the current user, potentially exposing sensitive data. There are no known public exploits in the wild, and no official patches or updates are linked in the provided information, though Adobe typically addresses such vulnerabilities in subsequent releases. The vulnerability is categorized as medium severity, reflecting its impact and exploitation conditions.

For European organizations, the primary impact of this vulnerability is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information stored or processed within Adobe Illustrator sessions. Organizations in sectors such as design, marketing, publishing, and media production that rely heavily on Adobe Illustrator for creative workflows could be at risk if attackers deliver malicious files via email, file sharing platforms, or collaboration tools. The confidentiality of intellectual property, client data, or internal design documents could be compromised. While the vulnerability does not directly enable system compromise or widespread disruption, the leakage of sensitive design assets or proprietary information could have reputational and financial consequences. Additionally, because exploitation requires user interaction, social engineering campaigns targeting employees are a plausible attack vector. The impact is more pronounced in environments where Illustrator files are frequently exchanged externally or where endpoint security controls are insufficient to detect malicious files. Given the lack of known exploits in the wild, the immediate risk is moderate, but organizations should remain vigilant due to the potential for future exploit development.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should: 1) Ensure Adobe Illustrator is updated to the latest available version beyond 25.2.3, as Adobe regularly releases security patches addressing such issues. 2) Implement strict email and file attachment filtering to detect and block suspicious or unexpected Illustrator files, especially from untrusted sources. 3) Educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited or unexpected Illustrator files and encourage verification of file origins before opening. 4) Employ endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior related to memory corruption or exploitation attempts within Adobe applications. 5) Use application whitelisting or sandboxing techniques to restrict the execution context of Illustrator, limiting the potential impact of exploitation. 6) Monitor network and endpoint logs for unusual activity following the opening of Illustrator files, which could indicate exploitation attempts. 7) Establish incident response procedures specifically for handling suspected exploitation of design software vulnerabilities. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling file flow, user awareness, and monitoring tailored to the Illustrator environment.