CVE-2025-54220 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified in Adobe InCopy versions 20.4, 19.5.4, and earlier. This vulnerability arises due to improper handling of memory buffers on the heap, which can be exploited when a user opens a specially crafted malicious file. The flaw allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution within the context of the current user. The attack vector requires local user interaction, specifically opening a malicious InCopy document, which triggers the overflow. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-122, indicating a classic heap-based buffer overflow scenario. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting a high severity level, with attack vector local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), user interaction required (UI:R), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that remediation may still be pending or in progress. Adobe InCopy is a professional writing and editing software widely used in publishing and media industries for collaborative editorial workflows. Given the nature of the vulnerability, exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, or further lateral movement within affected environments.

For European organizations, especially those in publishing, media, and content creation sectors, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Adobe InCopy is commonly used in editorial teams, marketing departments, and agencies, where maliciously crafted documents could be introduced via email, file sharing, or collaboration platforms. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, resulting in data breaches, intellectual property theft, or disruption of editorial workflows. The high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability means sensitive editorial content and internal communications could be compromised or destroyed. Additionally, since the vulnerability requires user interaction, social engineering tactics such as phishing could be leveraged to trick users into opening malicious files. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers often develop exploits rapidly after disclosure. The absence of an official patch at the time of this report increases exposure for organizations that cannot immediately implement mitigations. Overall, the threat could disrupt business continuity and damage reputations, particularly for organizations reliant on Adobe InCopy for critical content production.

Given the absence of an official patch, European organizations should implement several targeted mitigations. First, enforce strict email and file attachment filtering to detect and block potentially malicious InCopy files, leveraging advanced threat protection solutions with heuristic and signature-based detection. Educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited or unexpected InCopy documents, emphasizing verification of file sources before opening. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to restrict Adobe InCopy’s ability to execute arbitrary code or access sensitive system resources. Monitor endpoint behavior for anomalies indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unusual memory usage or process spawning linked to InCopy. Where possible, restrict InCopy usage to trusted internal networks and limit file sharing to secure channels. Maintain up-to-date backups of critical editorial data to enable recovery in case of compromise. Finally, stay alert for Adobe’s official security advisories and apply patches promptly once available to fully remediate the vulnerability.