CVE-2025-54227 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Adobe InDesign Desktop versions 20.4, 19.5.4, and earlier. The flaw is classified as an out-of-bounds read (CWE-125), which occurs when the software reads memory outside the bounds of a buffer. This can lead to the disclosure of sensitive memory contents, potentially exposing confidential information to an attacker. The vulnerability requires user interaction, specifically that the victim must open a maliciously crafted InDesign file to trigger the flaw. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5, reflecting a medium impact primarily on confidentiality (high impact on confidentiality, no impact on integrity or availability). The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning the attacker must have local access or the victim must perform an action such as opening a file. No privileges are required (PR:N), but user interaction is mandatory (UI:R). The vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability but can leak sensitive data from memory, which could include private project details, credentials, or other confidential information stored in memory during file processing. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no patches have been linked yet. Given the nature of InDesign as a professional desktop publishing tool widely used in creative industries, the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks involving malicious document distribution.

For European organizations, especially those in media, publishing, advertising, and design sectors, this vulnerability poses a risk of sensitive data leakage. Confidential project files, client information, and intellectual property could be exposed if a malicious InDesign file is opened by an employee. This could lead to reputational damage, loss of competitive advantage, and potential regulatory consequences under GDPR if personal data is compromised. Since exploitation requires user interaction, phishing or social engineering campaigns distributing malicious InDesign files could be a likely attack vector. The impact is more significant for organizations relying heavily on Adobe InDesign for document creation and collaboration. Additionally, organizations with less mature security awareness training may be more vulnerable to such targeted file-based attacks.

1. Implement strict email and file attachment filtering to detect and block suspicious or unexpected InDesign files, especially from unknown sources. 2. Educate users on the risks of opening files from untrusted or unexpected sources, emphasizing caution with InDesign documents. 3. Employ endpoint security solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior related to file parsing or memory access by InDesign. 4. Monitor for unusual file access patterns or crashes in InDesign that could indicate exploitation attempts. 5. Maintain an inventory of Adobe InDesign versions deployed and plan for rapid patching once Adobe releases an official fix. 6. Consider sandboxing or isolating InDesign usage in virtualized environments to limit potential data exposure. 7. Use Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tools to monitor and prevent unauthorized exfiltration of sensitive information that could result from memory disclosure.