CVE-2025-49567 is a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability (CWE-476) affecting Adobe Illustrator versions 28.7.8, 29.6.1, and earlier. This vulnerability arises when the application attempts to dereference a pointer that has not been properly initialized or has been set to NULL, leading to an application crash. The exploitation vector requires user interaction, specifically the opening of a maliciously crafted Illustrator file. When triggered, this vulnerability causes a denial-of-service (DoS) condition by crashing the Illustrator application, disrupting normal workflow. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or integrity but affects availability by causing the application to become unusable until restarted. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), with the vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H, indicating local attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, unchanged scope, and impact limited to availability. There are currently no known exploits in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, suggesting that mitigation relies on cautious handling of files and monitoring for updates from Adobe. The vulnerability is significant for environments where Illustrator is critical for daily operations, as repeated crashes can cause productivity loss and potential data loss if unsaved work is interrupted.

For European organizations, especially those in creative industries such as advertising, graphic design, publishing, and media production, this vulnerability could disrupt business continuity by causing frequent application crashes. The denial-of-service effect may delay project timelines and increase operational costs due to downtime. Although the vulnerability does not allow data exfiltration or code execution, the forced application termination could lead to loss of unsaved work, impacting productivity. Organizations relying heavily on Adobe Illustrator for client deliverables or time-sensitive projects may experience reputational damage if service disruptions occur. Additionally, targeted attacks using malicious files could be used as a nuisance or to disrupt specific teams or departments. Given the requirement for user interaction, phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used to deliver malicious files, increasing risk in environments with less user awareness or insufficient email/file scanning controls.

1. Implement strict email and file scanning policies to detect and block malicious Illustrator files before they reach end users. 2. Educate users on the risks of opening files from untrusted or unknown sources, emphasizing caution with Illustrator files received via email or file sharing platforms. 3. Use application whitelisting or sandboxing techniques to isolate Illustrator processes and limit the impact of crashes. 4. Regularly back up work in progress and encourage frequent saving to minimize data loss from unexpected application termination. 5. Monitor Adobe’s security advisories closely and apply patches or updates promptly once available. 6. Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions that can detect abnormal application crashes or suspicious file activities related to Illustrator. 7. Restrict local access to Illustrator installations where feasible, as the attack vector is local, to reduce exposure to malicious files. 8. Employ network segmentation to limit the spread of malicious files within the organization.