CVE-2025-54224 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability affecting Adobe InDesign Desktop versions 20.4, 19.5.4, and earlier. This vulnerability arises when the application improperly manages memory, leading to the use of freed memory regions. An attacker can exploit this flaw by crafting a malicious InDesign file that, when opened by a user, triggers arbitrary code execution within the context of the current user. The vulnerability requires user interaction, specifically opening a malicious file, and does not require prior authentication or elevated privileges. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with the low attack complexity and no privileges required. Exploitation could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, or further lateral movement within the victim environment. Although no known exploits are currently observed in the wild, the vulnerability's nature and impact make it a significant risk, especially in environments where Adobe InDesign is widely used for desktop publishing and graphic design tasks.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a considerable risk, particularly to sectors heavily reliant on Adobe InDesign for content creation, such as media, publishing, advertising, and design agencies. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive intellectual property, disruption of publishing workflows, and potential compromise of internal networks if attackers leverage the foothold for further attacks. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, organizations may face data breaches, reputational damage, and operational downtime. The requirement for user interaction means that social engineering or phishing campaigns could be used to deliver malicious files, increasing the risk in environments with less stringent user awareness training. Additionally, organizations with remote or hybrid workforces may be more vulnerable if users open malicious files outside controlled network environments.

To mitigate this threat effectively, European organizations should: 1) Immediately apply any available patches or updates from Adobe once released, as no patch links are currently provided. 2) Implement strict email and file attachment filtering to detect and block potentially malicious InDesign files, including scanning for anomalies or unexpected file behaviors. 3) Enhance user awareness training focused on the risks of opening unsolicited or unexpected files, emphasizing verification of file sources before opening. 4) Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques for Adobe InDesign to limit the impact of potential exploitation. 5) Monitor endpoint behavior for unusual activities indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unexpected process spawning or memory anomalies. 6) Restrict the use of InDesign to trusted users and environments where possible, and enforce the principle of least privilege to minimize the impact of a compromised user account. 7) Maintain up-to-date backups of critical design files and systems to enable recovery in case of compromise.