CVE-2025-5335: Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in Autodesk Installer Application

Overview

The cybersecurity landscape is fraught with various threats and vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors. One such vulnerability that has been recently identified is the CVE-2025-5335. This vulnerability specifically affects the Autodesk Installer application. If exploited, it can lead to an escalation of privileges to NT AUTHORITY/SYSTEM, potentially compromising the system or leading to data leakage. Given the widespread use of Autodesk software across industries, this vulnerability could have far-reaching impacts if not addressed promptly.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-5335
Severity: High (7.8)
Attack Vector: Binary File
Privileges Required: User
User Interaction: Required
Impact: System compromise, potential data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

Autodesk Installer | All versions prior to patch

How the Exploit Works

The exploit works by leveraging a maliciously crafted binary file. When this file is downloaded, it takes advantage of an untrusted search path in the Autodesk Installer application. This allows the attacker to escalate their privileges to NT AUTHORITY/SYSTEM, which is the highest level of privilege in a Windows system. This level of access can potentially allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code or even take full control of the system.

Conceptual Example Code

Here is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited:

# Malicious binary file
$ echo "malicious_code" > exploit.bin
# Transfer the file to target system
$ scp exploit.bin user@target:/tmp/
# On the target system, trigger the exploit
$ AutodeskInstaller /path/to/exploit.bin

In this hypothetical scenario, the attacker creates a malicious binary file (`exploit.bin`), transfers it to the target system, and then triggers the exploit by running the Autodesk Installer with the malicious file as an argument. The specifics of the “malicious_code” will depend on the attacker’s goal and the specifics of the system being targeted.

Mitigation

The primary mitigation for this vulnerability is to apply the vendor-supplied patch. Autodesk has released a patch that addresses this vulnerability, and users are strongly encouraged to apply it as soon as possible. As a temporary mitigation, users can also use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to detect and block attempts to exploit this vulnerability. However, these measures should not be considered a long-term solution, as they do not address the underlying issue.
Remember to always follow good cybersecurity practices, such as not downloading files from untrusted sources and keeping all software up-to-date to protect against known vulnerabilities.