CVE-2025-21159: Adobe Illustrator · Use After Free
Affects Adobe IllustratorSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 08:30 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 34% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 11 Feb 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Illustrator | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
Until Adobe releases an official patch, organizations should implement specific mitigations to reduce risk. First, restrict the opening of Illustrator files from untrusted or unknown sources through email filtering and endpoint controls. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing to limit the impact of potential exploitation. Educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited or suspicious files, emphasizing caution with Illustrator documents. Monitor systems for unusual behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to identify and block suspicious processes. Maintain regular backups of critical design files to enable recovery in case of compromise. Once Adobe releases patches, prioritize immediate deployment across all affected systems. Additionally, consider isolating Illustrator usage to dedicated workstations with minimal privileges to limit potential damage.
Description
Illustrator versions 29.1, 28.7.3 and earlier are affected by a Use After Free vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.