CVE-2025-27201 in Animate
Summary
by MITRE • 04/08/2025
Animate versions 24.0.7, 23.0.10 and earlier are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to bypass mitigations such as ASLR. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-27201 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw affecting Animate software versions 24.0.7, 23.0.10 and earlier. This issue stems from improper input validation within the application's memory handling mechanisms, creating a condition where the software attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The vulnerability manifests when processing specially crafted files that trigger the flawed memory access pattern, potentially exposing sensitive data stored in adjacent memory regions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where software accesses memory beyond the intended buffer limits. This type of flaw typically occurs when array indices or memory offsets are not properly validated before being used to access memory locations. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can be leveraged to bypass critical security mitigations such as Address Space Layout Randomization. When an attacker successfully exploits this condition, they can potentially extract information about memory layout, including base addresses of system libraries or heap structures, which significantly weakens the effectiveness of modern exploit mitigations.
The operational impact of CVE-2025-27201 is substantial, as exploitation requires only user interaction through the opening of a malicious file, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. This vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to gather intelligence about the target system's memory layout, which can then be used to craft more sophisticated attacks that bypass security controls. The fact that the vulnerability requires user interaction does not diminish its severity, as social engineering techniques can easily convince users to open malicious files, particularly when these files appear legitimate or are delivered through trusted channels.
The attack vector for this vulnerability follows the typical pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under technique T1059, which covers execution through malicious file delivery. The exploitation process would involve crafting a specially formatted file that when opened by the vulnerable Animate application triggers the out-of-bounds read condition. This allows the attacker to potentially extract memory contents that could reveal system information, application state, or even sensitive data from adjacent memory regions, which could then be used to facilitate further exploitation or information disclosure attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-27201 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Animate versions to address the underlying memory access validation flaw. Organizations should implement strict file validation policies and user education programs to reduce the risk of opening malicious files. Additionally, deploying application whitelisting solutions and monitoring for unusual file access patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's nature makes it particularly susceptible to exploitation in environments where users frequently open files from untrusted sources, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security awareness training and robust file handling controls. System administrators should also consider implementing memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries or heap hardening to add additional layers of defense against potential exploitation attempts.