CVE-2023-25144

SYSTEM code execution via Suspect folder access

Published Mar 7, 2023 · Updated Mar 6, 2025

Improper access control in Trend Micro Apex One 2019 before 14.0.0.11564 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. The Apex One Security Agent improperly controls access to its Suspect folder, allowing creation of arbitrary directories with attacker-selected ownership. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution on a Windows endpoint and grants SYSTEM-level control over the affected host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.30%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in Trend Micro Apex One 2019 before 14.0.0.11564 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. The Apex One Security Agent improperly controls access to its Suspect folder, allowing creation of arbitrary directories with attacker-selected ownership. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution on a Windows endpoint and grants SYSTEM-level control over the affected host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-25144
Published
Mar 7, 2023
Updated
Mar 6, 2025
Vendor
Trend Micro
Product
Trend Micro Apex One
Classifications
CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 7, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 6, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=2019 (14.0) <14.0.0.11564

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Trend Micro · Trend Micro Apex Oneversion=2019 (14.0) <14.0.0.11564

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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