CVE-2025-5296

Privilege escalation via installation-folder link following

Published Aug 18, 2025 · Updated Aug 18, 2025

Link following in Schneider Electric Software Update before 3.0.12 allows local users to write arbitrary data to protected locations. The updater follows attacker-controlled links placed in its installation folder during privileged file writes, redirecting output beyond that folder. A low-privileged user must tamper with the installation folder; successful exploitation can elevate privileges, corrupt files, disclose information, or persistently interrupt service.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Link following in Schneider Electric Software Update before 3.0.12 allows local users to write arbitrary data to protected locations. The updater follows attacker-controlled links placed in its installation folder during privileged file writes, redirecting output beyond that folder. A low-privileged user must tamper with the installation folder; successful exploitation can elevate privileges, corrupt files, disclose information, or persistently interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-5296
Published
Aug 18, 2025
Updated
Aug 18, 2025
Vendor
Distributed Data Systems
Product
Schneider Electric Software Update
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 18, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 18, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=Versions prior to v3.0.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Distributed Data Systems · Schneider Electric Software Updateversion=Versions prior to v3.0.12

Published CVSS scores

7.3Schneider ElectricCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H
7.0Schneider ElectricCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo