CVE-2025-53394

Administrator code execution via companion executable hijacking

Published Aug 4, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2025

Uncontrolled search path in Macrium Reflect through 2025-06-26 allows local users to execute code with administrator privileges. During image mounting, the Windows Shell integration resolves explorer.exe from the backup file's directory without validating the companion executable. Exploitation requires an administrator to accept the UAC prompt and mount an attacker-prepared .mrimgx or .mrbax file beside the renamed executable.

CVSS severity7.7
High
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled search path in Macrium Reflect through 2025-06-26 allows local users to execute code with administrator privileges. During image mounting, the Windows Shell integration resolves explorer.exe from the backup file's directory without validating the companion executable. Exploitation requires an administrator to accept the UAC prompt and mount an attacker-prepared .mrimgx or .mrbax file beside the renamed executable.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-53394
Published
Aug 4, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574.008
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.7MITRECVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:L/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:H/S:C/UI:R

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.

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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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1574.008Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking

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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