CVE-2025-61817 is a Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability identified in Adobe InCopy, a professional word processing software widely used in publishing and media industries. The flaw exists in versions 20.5, 19.5.5, and earlier, where improper memory management leads to a Use After Free condition. This vulnerability can be triggered when a user opens a specially crafted malicious file, causing the application to reference memory that has already been freed. This can result in arbitrary code execution within the context of the current user, potentially allowing attackers to execute malicious payloads, manipulate data, or disrupt application availability. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects a high severity, with attack vector local (requiring user interaction), low attack complexity, no privileges required, and user interaction necessary. The vulnerability affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as successful exploitation can lead to full compromise of the user's environment. No patches or official fixes have been released at the time of publication, and no known exploits have been observed in the wild. The vulnerability was reserved on October 1, 2025, and published on November 11, 2025. Given Adobe InCopy's role in content creation workflows, exploitation could disrupt publishing operations and lead to data breaches or malware deployment.

For European organizations, particularly those in media, publishing, advertising, and creative sectors that rely heavily on Adobe InCopy, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution, enabling attackers to steal sensitive content, inject malware, or disrupt editorial workflows. This could result in intellectual property theft, reputational damage, and operational downtime. Since the vulnerability requires user interaction, phishing or social engineering campaigns could be leveraged to deliver malicious files. The impact extends to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and systems. Organizations with remote or hybrid workforces may face increased risk due to file sharing practices. The absence of a patch increases exposure until Adobe releases an update. Additionally, attackers could use this vulnerability as an initial foothold for broader network compromise if the affected user has elevated privileges or access to critical systems.

1. Educate users to be cautious when opening files from untrusted or unknown sources, especially unsolicited attachments or downloads. 2. Implement strict email filtering and sandboxing to detect and block malicious files targeting Adobe InCopy. 3. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for suspicious behaviors indicative of exploitation attempts. 4. Restrict user privileges to the minimum necessary to reduce the impact of code execution under user context. 5. Use application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized execution of unknown binaries or scripts. 6. Maintain regular backups of critical data and ensure recovery procedures are tested. 7. Monitor Adobe’s security advisories closely and apply patches immediately upon release. 8. Consider network segmentation to limit lateral movement if a compromise occurs. 9. Deploy file integrity monitoring on systems running Adobe InCopy to detect unauthorized changes. 10. Encourage use of protected view or sandboxed environments for opening files when possible.