CVE-2025-5494

Local SYSTEM escalation via privileged file deletion

Published Sep 25, 2025 · Updated Sep 25, 2025

Local privilege escalation in Zoho Corporation ManageEngine Endpoint Central 11.4.2508.13 and earlier allows local users to gain SYSTEM access. The agent performs privileged file deletion during patch scans, but ManageEngine has not disclosed how an attacker controls the deletion target. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and user interaction; successful exploitation elevates that user to SYSTEM.

CVSS severity3.9
Low
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in Zoho Corporation ManageEngine Endpoint Central 11.4.2508.13 and earlier allows local users to gain SYSTEM access. The agent performs privileged file deletion during patch scans, but ManageEngine has not disclosed how an attacker controls the deletion target. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and user interaction; successful exploitation elevates that user to SYSTEM.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-5494
Published
Sep 25, 2025
Updated
Sep 25, 2025
Vendor
Zoho Corporation
Product
ManageEngine Endpoint Central
Classifications
CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 25, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 25, 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=11.4.2500.25
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <=11.4.2508.13

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Zoho Corporation · ManageEngine Endpoint Centralversion=0 <=11.4.2500.25; version=0 <=11.4.2508.13

Published CVSS scores

3.9ManageEngineCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
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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