CVE-2025-49570 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write vulnerability (CWE-787) affecting Adobe Photoshop Desktop versions 25.12.3, 26.8, and earlier. This vulnerability arises from improper handling of memory boundaries within Photoshop’s processing of certain file inputs, which can lead to writing data outside the allocated buffer. Such out-of-bounds writes can corrupt memory, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically the victim opening a crafted malicious file in Photoshop. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with an attack vector of local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but requiring user interaction (UI:R). The scope remains unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is limited to the vulnerable component. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the nature of the vulnerability and the popularity of Photoshop make it a significant risk. The absence of patch links suggests that a fix may not yet be publicly available or is pending release. Given that Photoshop is widely used in creative industries, media, and marketing sectors, the vulnerability could be leveraged to compromise workstations, steal intellectual property, or deploy malware within corporate environments.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-49570 could be substantial, especially for those in industries heavily reliant on Adobe Photoshop such as advertising, media production, design agencies, and publishing. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, enabling attackers to steal sensitive data, implant persistent malware, or disrupt business operations. Since the vulnerability requires user interaction, phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used to deliver malicious files. The compromise of creative workstations could also lead to intellectual property theft or sabotage of digital assets. Additionally, given the high confidentiality and integrity impact, organizations handling sensitive client data or proprietary designs face increased risk of data breaches or reputational damage. The availability impact could result in downtime or loss of productivity if systems become unstable or require remediation. The threat is particularly relevant in environments where Photoshop is installed on endpoints with network access to critical systems, potentially serving as a foothold for lateral movement.

European organizations should implement a multi-layered mitigation strategy beyond generic patching advice. First, enforce strict email and file attachment filtering to reduce the risk of malicious files reaching users. Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Educate users on the risks of opening unsolicited or suspicious files, emphasizing the need for caution with Photoshop documents from untrusted sources. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to limit the execution scope of Photoshop and isolate it from sensitive network segments. Monitor Photoshop application logs and system events for signs of exploitation attempts. Until an official patch is released, consider restricting Photoshop usage to trusted users or virtualized environments. Regularly review and update incident response plans to include scenarios involving exploitation of this vulnerability. Finally, maintain up-to-date backups of critical data to enable recovery in case of compromise.