CVE-2025-7012

Root privilege escalation via unchecked authentication-file symlinks

Published Jul 13, 2025 · Updated Jul 14, 2025

Improper link resolution in Cato Networks Cato Client for Linux 5.0 through 5.4 allows local users to gain root privileges. During authentication, the privileged cato-clientd service writes cato_cred.cfg.tk, cato_cred.cfg, and a log file in the user's home directory without rejecting symbolic links. A low-privileged local user can replace one of those paths with a symbolic link and cause the service to overwrite an arbitrary root-owned system file, enabling full privilege escalation.

CVSS severity8.6
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

Improper link resolution in Cato Networks Cato Client for Linux 5.0 through 5.4 allows local users to gain root privileges. During authentication, the privileged cato-clientd service writes cato_cred.cfg.tk, cato_cred.cfg, and a log file in the user's home directory without rejecting symbolic links. A low-privileged local user can replace one of those paths with a symbolic link and cause the service to overwrite an arbitrary root-owned system file, enabling full privilege escalation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-7012
Published
Jul 13, 2025
Updated
Jul 14, 2025
Vendor
Cato Networks
Product
Cato Client
Classifications
CWE-59, CAPEC-233, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 13, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jul 14, 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=5.0 <5.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Cato Networks · Cato Clientversion=5.0 <5.5

Published CVSS scores

8.6Cato NetworksCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/AU:Y/R:U/RE:M/U:Green

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-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CAPEC-233Privilege Escalation
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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