CVE-2025-52521

SYSTEM code execution via crafted junction file deletion

Published Jul 10, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026

Link following in Trend Micro Security (Consumer) before 17.8.1476 allows local users to escalate privileges via a crafted junction. The Regain Disk Space feature lets that junction redirect the privileged Platinum Host Service into deleting an attacker-chosen file. Low-privileged code execution on Windows is required, after which file deletion can yield arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.34%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Link following in Trend Micro Security (Consumer) before 17.8.1476 allows local users to escalate privileges via a crafted junction. The Regain Disk Space feature lets that junction redirect the privileged Platinum Host Service into deleting an attacker-chosen file. Low-privileged code execution on Windows is required, after which file deletion can yield arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-52521
Published
Jul 10, 2025
Updated
Feb 26, 2026
Vendor
Trend Micro
Product
Trend Micro Security (Consumer)
Classifications
CWE-64, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 10, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=17.8 <17.8.1476

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Trend Micro · Trend Micro Security (Consumer)version=17.8 <17.8.1476

Published CVSS scores

7.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
7.8Trend Micro, Inc.CVSS: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-64Windows Shortcut Following (.LNK)
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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