EUVD-2025-18498
CVSS Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Lifecycle Timeline
3Description
Local Privilege escalation allows a low-privileged user to gain SYSTEM privileges in Citrix Secure Access Client for Windows
Analysis
Local privilege escalation vulnerability in Citrix Secure Access Client for Windows that allows an authenticated, low-privileged user to escalate their privileges to SYSTEM level without user interaction. The vulnerability affects the Citrix Secure Access Client application on Windows systems and represents a critical threat to enterprise environments where this client is deployed, as successful exploitation grants complete system control. The CVSS 7.8 score and confirmed local attack vector indicate this is a material risk for any organization using this software, though exploitation requires prior local access to an affected system.
Technical Context
This vulnerability stems from improper privilege management and access control enforcement (CWE-269), a class of flaws where code does not properly restrict which users or information systems have access to resources. The Citrix Secure Access Client for Windows is a VPN/remote access application that runs on Windows endpoints with varying privilege levels. The vulnerability likely exists in a privileged component or service (possibly running as SYSTEM or with elevated capabilities) that fails to properly validate the caller's privileges before performing sensitive operations. This could manifest as an insecure API call, unprotected inter-process communication (IPC), DLL hijacking in a privileged process, or weak file/registry permission checks. The attack surface is the Secure Access Client's core components that handle authentication, session management, or system integration.
Affected Products
Citrix Secure Access Client for Windows (specific version range to be confirmed by vendor advisory). Based on the CVE description and typical Citrix product lines, this likely affects recent versions of Citrix Secure Access Client (formerly known as Citrix Receiver or Citrix Workspace App) on Windows operating systems (Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016/2019/2022). Exact CPE would be: cpe:2.3:a:citrix:secure_access_client:*:*:*:*:*:windows:*:* with specific version constraints. Administrators should consult the official Citrix Security Advisory (typically published on Citrix's security portal or CVE vendor advisories) for exact version ranges and affected builds.
Remediation
Immediate actions: (1) Consult Citrix's official security advisory and knowledge base for CVE-2025-0320 to identify patched versions; (2) Deploy the latest patched version of Citrix Secure Access Client across all Windows endpoints; (3) Prioritize systems with high-risk users (developers, contractors, remote workers) where local privilege escalation is most valuable. Interim mitigations pending patch deployment: (a) Restrict local administrative rights using Windows AppLocker or Group Policy to limit ability to run privilege escalation tooling; (b) Monitor Windows event logs (Event ID 4688 for process creation, 4624 for logons) for suspicious activity from low-privileged accounts; (c) Segregate Citrix Secure Access Client to a dedicated device or VM if possible; (d) Enforce endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect privilege escalation attempts. Verify patch deployment and rollback procedures before large-scale deployment to avoid business disruption.
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External POC / Exploit Code
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