CVE-2025-3025

SYSTEM code execution via junction-following file deletion

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

Local privilege escalation in Gen Digital CCleaner before 6.36.11508 on Windows allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM. The Custom Clean service follows an attacker-created junction and performs a privileged deletion on its target, allowing arbitrary files to be removed. Exploitation requires low-privileged local code execution and administrator interaction; successful abuse yields arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in Gen Digital CCleaner before 6.36.11508 on Windows allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM. The Custom Clean service follows an attacker-created junction and performs a privileged deletion on its target, allowing arbitrary files to be removed. Exploitation requires low-privileged local code execution and administrator interaction; successful abuse yields arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-3025
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
Gen Digital
Product
CCleaner
Classifications
CWE-552, CAPEC-233, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 15, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 15, 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=6.33.11465 << 6.36.11508

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Gen Digital · CCleanerversion=6.33.11465 << 6.36.11508

Published CVSS scores

7.3NortonLifeLock Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/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-552Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties
CAPEC-233Privilege Escalation
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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