CVE-2025-54225 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, specifically by accessing memory after it has been freed. Such a flaw can lead to arbitrary code execution within the context of the current user. Exploitation requires user interaction, as the victim must open a specially crafted malicious InDesign file. The vulnerability's CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting its 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). Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, or further malware deployment. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating the vulnerability is newly disclosed and may soon be targeted by attackers.

For European organizations, especially those in creative industries, publishing, marketing, and media sectors that heavily rely on Adobe InDesign Desktop, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive design files, intellectual property theft, or lateral movement within corporate networks. Since the vulnerability requires opening a malicious file, targeted phishing or spear-phishing campaigns could be used to deliver payloads, increasing the risk to organizations with less mature security awareness. The compromise of design workstations could also disrupt business continuity and damage reputations. Additionally, organizations handling regulated data under GDPR must consider the potential data breach implications, which could result in regulatory penalties and loss of customer trust.

Organizations should immediately implement a multi-layered defense strategy. First, restrict the use of Adobe InDesign Desktop to trusted users and environments, and educate users about the risks of opening files from untrusted sources. Employ advanced email filtering and sandboxing to detect and block malicious attachments. Monitor for unusual application behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Since no patch is currently available, consider deploying application whitelisting and privilege restrictions to limit the impact of potential exploits. Network segmentation can help contain any compromise. Once Adobe releases a security update, prioritize its deployment across all affected systems. Additionally, maintain regular backups of critical design files and verify their integrity to enable recovery if an incident occurs.