Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-45058 is a high-severity Adobe InDesign flaw. A malicious JPEG file can trigger memory corruption and potentially run code as the logged-in user. Business risk is highest where creative or publishing staff open externally supplied image files.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted workstation risk for creative and publishing users. Prioritize patching where staff routinely handle third-party image files, because successful exploitation could compromise that user’s data and workstation access.
Technical view
Adobe InDesign 16.4 and earlier is affected by a CWE-787 out-of-bounds write during JPEG file parsing. CVSS 3.0 is 7.8, with local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely on workstations running Adobe InDesign 16.4 or earlier, especially in teams that receive JPEG assets from customers, vendors, agencies, or public submissions. The source bundle does not identify server-side exposure.
Exploitation context
The sources state exploitation requires a victim to open a malicious JPEG file. The bundle does not include evidence of active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked as CISA KEV.
Researcher notes
The key technical condition is JPEG parsing in InDesign leading to out-of-bounds write and possible arbitrary code execution. Evidence is limited to the CVE record and Adobe advisory reference; no exploit maturity, affected platform matrix, or detailed fixed-version data is included in the bundle.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Adobe InDesign installations and versions across managed endpoints.
- Prioritize systems running InDesign 16.4 or earlier.
- Review Adobe APSB22-05 and apply vendor-recommended updates or mitigations.
- Restrict opening untrusted JPEG files in InDesign until remediated.
- Use endpoint controls to reduce impact of user-context code execution.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether Adobe InDesign is installed on endpoints.
- Verify installed versions against the affected 16.4 and earlier range.
- Check patch management records for Adobe APSB22-05 remediation.
- Review user groups that process externally supplied image assets.
- Confirm security tooling monitors suspicious child processes from InDesign.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-787: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-45058 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/indesign/apsb22-05.htmlCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Out-of-bounds Write
Out-of-bounds Write represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.