CVE-2025-43587 in After Effects
Summary
by MITRE • 07/08/2025
After Effects versions 25.2, 24.6.6 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 • 07/14/2025
This vulnerability exists in Adobe After Effects versions 25.2, 24.6.6 and earlier, representing a critical out-of-bounds read flaw that poses significant security risks to users. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the application's file parsing mechanisms, specifically when processing maliciously crafted files. Such flaws typically arise from inadequate bounds checking during memory operations, allowing the application to access memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. The technical implementation likely involves the software attempting to read data from memory addresses that fall outside the allocated buffer space, potentially exposing sensitive information stored in adjacent memory regions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory disclosure, as it can be leveraged to bypass critical security mitigations such as Address Space Layout Randomization. This occurs because the out-of-bounds read may inadvertently reveal memory layout information, including base addresses of system libraries or application components, which attackers can use to construct more sophisticated exploitation payloads. The requirement for user interaction through file opening creates a realistic attack vector where victims must be tricked into opening maliciously crafted project files or assets. This social engineering component aligns with common attack patterns documented in the attack mitigation frameworks, where user behavior becomes the primary attack surface.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions in software applications. The flaw represents a classic memory safety issue that has been increasingly targeted in recent years as attackers develop more sophisticated techniques to exploit such vulnerabilities. The specific nature of the vulnerability suggests that the file parsing code lacks proper validation of input parameters, particularly when handling complex media formats or project files that may contain embedded metadata or structured data. The fact that this affects multiple versions indicates the vulnerability is likely rooted in core parsing libraries or components that have remained unchanged across the affected release cycles.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate version updates to Adobe After Effects 25.3 or later, which presumably contain patches addressing the buffer overflow conditions. Organizations should implement strict file validation policies, including sandboxing of file processing operations and limiting user privileges when opening potentially malicious files. Network-level controls such as content filtering and email scanning should be enhanced to prevent delivery of malicious project files. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security updates and patch management processes, particularly for creative software suites that handle complex file formats. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and endpoint detection systems that can identify suspicious file access patterns or memory read operations.
The attack surface for this vulnerability encompasses any user who opens project files or assets in After Effects, making it particularly concerning for creative agencies, freelance designers, and media production environments where file sharing is common. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability in targeted campaigns against creative professionals, using social engineering techniques to deliver malicious files through email attachments or compromised file sharing services. The bypass of ASLR mitigations makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be combined with other exploitation techniques to achieve arbitrary code execution. Security professionals should consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual memory access patterns and ensure that all users maintain updated software versions to prevent exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities.