SYSTEM command execution via readable plaintext credentials
Published Jul 2, 2025 · Updated Apr 7, 2026
Privilege escalation in NSClient++ 0.5.2.35 allows local users to execute arbitrary commands as SYSTEM through the web API. The Windows nsclient.ini file stores the administrative password in plaintext and permits local users to read it, enabling them to authenticate and register an external script. Both WEBServer and ExternalScripts must be enabled; their combination lets an unprivileged Windows account save and trigger a script under the service's SYSTEM context.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in NSClient++ 0.5.2.35 allows local users to execute arbitrary commands as SYSTEM through the web API. The Windows nsclient.ini file stores the administrative password in plaintext and permits local users to read it, enabling them to authenticate and register an external script. Both WEBServer and ExternalScripts must be enabled; their combination lets an unprivileged Windows account save and trigger a script under the service's SYSTEM context.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-34078
- Published
- Jul 2, 2025
- Updated
- Apr 7, 2026
- Vendor
- NSClient++
- Product
- NSClient++
- Classifications
- CWE-522, CWE-269, T1552.001
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 2, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 7, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=0.5.2.35
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- NSClient++ 0.5.2.35 Authenticated Remote Code Executionfunctional · demonstrated
- NSClient++ 0.5.2.35 Privilege Escalation Metasploit moduleweaponized · demonstrated
- NSClient++ 0.5.2.35 Privilege Escalationfunctional · demonstrated
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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