Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorNVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Lifecycle Timeline
1DescriptionCVE.org
InDesign Desktop versions 21.3, 20.5.3 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 open a malicious file.
AnalysisAI
Arbitrary code execution in Adobe InDesign Desktop 21.3, 20.5.3 and earlier stems from a use-after-free condition triggered when a user opens a maliciously crafted document, allowing an attacker to run code with the privileges of the logged-in user. The flaw is reported by Adobe with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 and tagged for RCE, denial of service, and memory corruption, but there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and the issue is not listed in CISA KEV.
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Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata
Vulnerability AssessmentAI
| Exploitation | Exploitation requires the victim to open a specifically crafted malicious InDesign document in a vulnerable build of Adobe InDesign Desktop 21.3, 20.5.3, or earlier (UI:R in the CVSS vector); the attacker needs no prior credentials on the target system (PR:N) but cannot trigger the bug remotely without user action, since the attack vector is local (AV:L) and tied to file open. … Additional conditions and limiting factors are described in the full assessment. |
| Risk Assessment | The CVSS 3.1 vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H reflects a local attack vector with low complexity, no privileges, and required user interaction, yielding 7.8 - high impact but constrained by the social-engineering step of opening a file. … Full risk analysis with EPSS, KEV, and SSVC signal comparison available after sign-in. |
| Exploit Scenario | An attacker emails or shares a weaponized .indd or .idml file - for example, posed as a client brief, vendor template, or freelance handoff - to a designer or production editor. When the victim opens the file in a vulnerable InDesign Desktop build, the use-after-free is triggered during parsing and the attacker gains code execution as the logged-in user, enabling installation of stealers or further lateral movement on the creative workstation. … |
| Remediation | Apply the vendor patch documented in Adobe Security Bulletin APSB26-58 at https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/indesign/apsb26-58.html - update InDesign Desktop past 21.3 and 20.5.3 through the Creative Cloud desktop application or enterprise admin console; exact fix versions should be taken from the Adobe advisory rather than inferred. … Detailed patch versions, workarounds, and compensating controls in full report. |
Recommended ActionAI
Within 24 hours: Inventory all systems running Adobe InDesign 21.3, 20.5.3, or earlier; immediately restrict opening documents from untrusted external sources; send urgent security notice to all InDesign users. …
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External POC / Exploit Code
Leaving vuln.today
EUVD-2026-35780
GHSA-8x9r-pg87-r424