Overview
The cybersecurity landscape constantly evolves with new vulnerabilities being identified regularly. One such security flaw that has garnered attention recently is the CVE-2025-36633. This vulnerability has been identified in Tenable Agent versions prior to 10.8.5 on a Windows host system. It is a critical issue that allows non-administrative users to arbitrarily delete local system files with SYSTEM privilege. This potentially leads to local privilege escalation, putting your data integrity and system security at risk.
The severity of the CVE-2025-36633 vulnerability cannot be overstated. With a CVSS severity score of 8.8, it poses a significant risk to businesses and individuals alike. This vulnerability, if exploited, could result in system compromise or data leakage, creating a potential disaster for affected organizations and individuals.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-36633
Severity: Critical, CVSS score 8.8
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low (Non-Administrative Privileges)
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Tenable Agent | Versions prior to 10.8.5
How the Exploit Works
The exploit takes advantage of a flaw in the Tenable Agent’s permissions system on Windows hosts. A non-administrative user with low-level access to the system can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted inputs to the Tenable Agent. This input instructs the agent to delete system files that should normally be protected. Due to the flaw, the agent carries out this action with SYSTEM privileges leading to arbitrary deletion of system files. This can potentially lead to privilege escalation and system compromise.
Conceptual Example Code
The following pseudocode is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited:
# User with low-level (non-admin) access
user> tenable_agent --delete C:\Windows\System32\critical_file.sys
# Tenable Agent performs the action with SYSTEM privileges
tenable_agent(SYSTEM)> rm C:\Windows\System32\critical_file.sysIn this example, a non-admin user instructs the Tenable Agent to delete a critical system file. The agent, due to the vulnerability, performs the action with SYSTEM privileges, leading to the deletion of the critical file. This could pave the way for further malicious activity like privilege escalation or system compromise.
Mitigation Guidance
The primary mitigation for this vulnerability is to apply the vendor-provided patch. Tenable has released version 10.8.5 of the agent that addresses this vulnerability. Users are advised to update to this version as soon as possible.
For those unable to apply the patch immediately, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can help as a temporary mitigation measure. These systems can be configured to detect and block suspicious activity related to this vulnerability. However, it’s crucial to understand that these are just temporary solutions and updating the Tenable Agent should be the priority.
Remember, staying vigilant and keeping your systems up-to-date are the most effective ways to maintain your cybersecurity posture.