CVE-2025-21169
Published: 11 March 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-21169 is a high-severity Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122) vulnerability in Adobe Substance 3D Designer. 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 11.1th 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).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Requires timely flaw remediation including patching the specific heap-based buffer overflow in Substance3D Designer versions 14.1 and earlier to prevent arbitrary code execution.
Implements memory protections like DEP and ASLR that directly mitigate exploitation of heap buffer overflows for arbitrary code execution.
Enforces validation of file inputs to prevent buffer overflows from malicious files processed by Substance3D Designer.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
The heap-based buffer overflow enables arbitrary code execution in a client application when a user opens a malicious file, directly mapping to Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203) and User Execution via Malicious File (T1204.002).
NVD Description
Substance3D - Designer versions 14.1 and earlier are affected by a Heap-based Buffer Overflow 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…
more
must open a malicious file.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2025-21169 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-122, CWE-787) affecting Adobe Substance3D Designer versions 14.1 and earlier. The flaw could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. It has 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), indicating high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability with low attack complexity but requiring local access and user interaction.
Exploitation requires an attacker to trick a victim into opening a malicious file within the affected software. No privileges are needed beforehand (PR:N), but the attack is local (AV:L) and depends on user interaction (UI:R). Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution under the current user's context, potentially leading to full system compromise if the user has elevated privileges.
Adobe Security Bulletin APSB25-22 provides details on the vulnerability and mitigation. Security practitioners should consult https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/substance3d_designer/apsb25-22.html for patch availability and recommended remediation steps.
Details
- CWE(s)