Overview
CVE-2025-59373 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability affecting the ASUS System Control Interface. This vulnerability arises from improper validation during the restore mechanism. An unprivileged user can exploit this flaw by copying files without proper validation into protected system directories. This can lead to arbitrary files being executed with SYSTEM privileges, potentially giving the attacker complete control over the affected system.
Technical Details
The vulnerability lies within the ASUS System Control Interface’s restore functionality. The process allows file restoration to specific locations on the system. However, a lack of sufficient input validation and sanitization allows an attacker to craft malicious files and place them into sensitive system paths. Specifically, by manipulating the restore process, an attacker can overwrite critical system files with their own, allowing them to execute code with elevated (SYSTEM) privileges. The vulnerability involves the lack of checks before files are copied, giving an unprivileged user control over the destination of file writes in the file system which they normally would not have.
CVSS Analysis
As of the publication date (2025-11-25), a CVSS score has not been assigned to CVE-2025-59373 by NVD or other authorities. The Severity is listed as N/A. However, based on the description, the potential impact is considered high because successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise. We recommend users treat this vulnerability with high priority.
Important Note: The actual CVSS score may change upon further analysis and official scoring. Refer to the NVD (National Vulnerability Database) once available for official scoring.
Possible Impact
A successful exploit of CVE-2025-59373 can have severe consequences:
- Complete System Compromise: An attacker can gain complete control over the affected system with SYSTEM privileges.
- Data Theft: Sensitive data stored on the system can be accessed and stolen.
- Malware Installation: The attacker can install malware, including ransomware, keyloggers, and rootkits.
- System Instability: Maliciously crafted files could cause system instability, crashes, or data corruption.
- Privilege escalation: Elevate user permissions from unprivileged to SYSTEM.
Mitigation or Patch Steps
ASUS has released a security advisory addressing this vulnerability. The recommended course of action is to:
- Update MyASUS Application: Follow the instructions in the ASUS Security Advisory to update the MyASUS application to the latest version. The update contains a fix for this vulnerability.
- Check ASUS Security Advisory: Regularly check the ASUS Security Advisory for the latest information and updates regarding this vulnerability.
- Limit File Permissions: If possible, restrict user access to sensitive system directories as a temporary measure until the update is applied.
References
- ASUS Security Advisory
- NIST NVD: CVE-2025-59373 (Note: May not be available immediately after initial publication.)
