CVE-2025-21127
Adobe Photoshop 25.0 – 25.12.1
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HSummary
CVE-2025-21127 is a high-severity Uncontrolled Search Path Element (CWE-427) vulnerability in Adobe Photoshop. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Path Interception (T1034); ranked at the 21th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to CM-6 (Configuration Settings) and AC-3 (Access Enforcement) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2025-21127 is an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability (CWE-427) affecting Adobe Photoshop Desktop versions 25.12, 26.1, and earlier. The flaw allows an attacker to manipulate the search path environment variable to direct the application toward a malicious library, leading to arbitrary code execution when Photoshop loads the library. Published on January 14, 2025, the vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
Exploitation requires local access to the victim's system with no privileges needed, though user interaction is mandatory as the victim must launch the vulnerable Photoshop application. A malicious actor could leverage this by altering environment variables—such as PATH or LD_LIBRARY_PATH—to prioritize a controlled DLL or shared object, enabling full arbitrary code execution with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability upon application startup.
Adobe's security bulletin APSB25-02, available at https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/photoshop/apsb25-02.html, addresses this issue and provides guidance on mitigation, including recommendations to apply the latest security updates for affected Photoshop versions.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-2234
Vulnerability Data
Photoshop Desktop versions 25.12, 26.1 and earlier are affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability that could lead to arbitrary code execution. An attacker could manipulate the search path environment variable to point to a malicious library, resulting in…
more
the execution of arbitrary code when the application loads. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must run the vulnerable application.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 2 hardening rules · 1 OS baseline
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Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Establishes restrictive configuration settings that can define and lock down approved search paths.
Enforces approved authorizations so that only intended actors can place or modify elements in the search path.
Limits privileges so unintended actors cannot write to or control directories in the product's search path.
Restricts logical and physical access to change system configuration, including search-path settings and directories.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure-development practices directly address design of search paths and resource loading.
Hardened configuration baselines can enforce safe search-path settings and reduce exposure.
Execution allow-listing can block malicious binaries placed in hijackable search locations.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Security testing can detect uncontrolled search-path issues but does not prevent them by itself.
Restricting software installation reduces the chance that an attacker-controlled path element is introduced into the search path.
Secure system architecture and engineering principles require explicit control over search paths and resource locations.
Secure coding practices directly address the use of fixed or controlled search paths that can be influenced by unintended actors.
Configuration management can enforce approved search-path settings but does not inherently prevent the weakness.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
- V-248577 OL 8 must enable kernel parameters to enforce Discretionary Access Control (DAC) on symlinks. prevents CWE-427