CVE-2025-21159
Published: 11 February 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-21159 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Adobe Illustrator. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203); ranked at the 25.9th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-16 (Memory Protection) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2025-21159 is a Use After Free vulnerability (CWE-416) affecting Adobe Illustrator versions 29.1, 28.7.3, and earlier. The flaw occurs in the software and could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user, with exploitation requiring user interaction such that a victim must open a malicious file.
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). Local attackers with low complexity can exploit it by tricking users into opening a specially crafted malicious file, achieving high-impact arbitrary code execution, confidentiality, integrity, and availability compromises under the privileges of the affected user.
Adobe's security bulletin APSB25-11 details the issue and recommends applying the available patches, as outlined at https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/illustrator/apsb25-11.html.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-2251
Vulnerability details
Illustrator versions 29.1, 28.7.3 and earlier are affected by a Use After Free vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must…
more
open a malicious file.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Use-after-free in client app enables arbitrary code execution via malicious file opened by user (T1203 + T1204.002).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly requires timely remediation of the Use After Free flaw in Adobe Illustrator through patching as recommended in Adobe's APSB25-11 bulletin.
Implements memory protection mechanisms such as ASLR, DEP, and stack canaries that directly mitigate Use After Free vulnerabilities by preventing exploitation of memory corruption.
Enables scanning to identify vulnerable Adobe Illustrator versions affected by this CVE, facilitating targeted remediation.