Local privilege escalation via shared temporary paths
Published May 16, 2025 · Updated Jul 29, 2026
Link following in Qt Framework through 5.15.18, 6.0.0 through 6.5.8, and 6.6.0 through 6.8.1 allows local users to gain privileges. QFileSystemEngine's QDir::tempPath() uses Windows GetTempPath, which can return a shared temporary directory whose attacker-controlled links redirect privileged file creation. Exploitation requires local access and a higher-privileged Qt application to create a file or directory through QDir::tempPath() or dependent APIs.
Summary
What happened
Link following in Qt Framework through 5.15.18, 6.0.0 through 6.5.8, and 6.6.0 through 6.8.1 allows local users to gain privileges. QFileSystemEngine's QDir::tempPath() uses Windows GetTempPath, which can return a shared temporary directory whose attacker-controlled links redirect privileged file creation. Exploitation requires local access and a higher-privileged Qt application to create a file or directory through QDir::tempPath() or dependent APIs.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-4211
- Published
- May 16, 2025
- Updated
- Jul 29, 2026
- Vendor
- The Qt Company
- Product
- Qt Framework
- Classifications
- CWE-59, CAPEC-132, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 29, 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 <=5.15.18
- Affected versionversion=6.0.0 <=6.5.8
- Affected versionversion=6.6.0 <=6.8.1
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
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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