CVE-2025-54269 is a medium-severity vulnerability classified as an out-of-bounds read (CWE-125) in Adobe Animate, affecting versions 23.0.13, 24.0.10, and earlier. The vulnerability arises when the software improperly handles memory buffers, allowing an attacker to read memory outside the allocated bounds. This can lead to the disclosure of sensitive information residing in memory, such as user data, credentials, or other confidential information. Exploitation requires the victim to open a crafted malicious Animate file, making user interaction necessary. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) indicates that the attack can be performed locally with low complexity, no privileges required, but user interaction is mandatory. The scope is unchanged, and the primary impact is on confidentiality, with no effect on integrity or availability. No patches are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and should be addressed promptly. Adobe Animate is widely used in digital content creation, animation, and multimedia production, making this vulnerability relevant to organizations relying on these workflows.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-54269 is the potential exposure of sensitive information due to memory disclosure. This can lead to data leaks, intellectual property theft, or exposure of user credentials, which may facilitate further attacks. Industries such as media, advertising, gaming, and digital content production that heavily rely on Adobe Animate are particularly at risk. The requirement for user interaction limits the attack vector to social engineering or targeted phishing campaigns delivering malicious Animate files. However, successful exploitation could compromise confidentiality without affecting system integrity or availability. This vulnerability could also be leveraged as part of a multi-stage attack chain, increasing its strategic risk. European organizations with strict data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) must consider the compliance implications of potential data exposure.

1. Monitor Adobe’s official channels for patches addressing CVE-2025-54269 and apply updates immediately upon release. 2. Until patches are available, restrict the opening of Animate files from untrusted or unknown sources, especially email attachments and downloads. 3. Implement application whitelisting to limit execution of unauthorized files. 4. Educate users about the risks of opening files from unverified sources and train them to recognize phishing attempts. 5. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor for suspicious activity related to Adobe Animate processes. 6. Employ network segmentation to isolate systems used for digital content creation from critical infrastructure. 7. Regularly audit and inventory Adobe Animate installations to ensure version compliance and identify vulnerable endpoints. 8. Consider disabling or limiting Adobe Animate usage in high-risk environments until the vulnerability is mitigated.