Overview
CVE-2025-11772 is a medium severity vulnerability affecting Synaptics fingerprint drivers. It allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. This is achieved by placing a specially crafted Dynamic Link Library (DLL) in the C:\ProgramData\Synaptics folder. During driver installation, this malicious DLL can be loaded, granting the attacker SYSTEM-level access.
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from a lack of proper validation and security checks during the driver installation process. The Synaptics driver installer incorrectly trusts the DLL files present in the C:\ProgramData\Synaptics folder. An attacker can exploit this by crafting a malicious DLL designed to execute arbitrary code. When the Synaptics driver installer attempts to load DLLs from this location, it unwittingly loads the malicious DLL, inheriting its elevated privileges. The specific weakness lies in how the co-installer handles loading and verifying DLL dependencies.
The exploitation scenario requires a local user to have write access to the C:\ProgramData\Synaptics folder. While typically restricted, it’s possible for users to gain such access through misconfigurations or other vulnerabilities.
CVSS Analysis
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) assigns CVE-2025-11772 a score of 6.6 (Medium).
- Attack Vector (AV): Local (L)
- Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L)
- Privileges Required (PR): Low (L)
- User Interaction (UI): Required (R) – User needs to install or update the driver.
- Scope (S): Changed (C)
- Confidentiality Impact (C): High (H)
- Integrity Impact (I): High (H)
- Availability Impact (A): High (H)
The medium severity reflects the need for local access and user interaction, but the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability makes this a serious issue.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-11772 can have significant consequences:
- Privilege Escalation: A standard user account can gain SYSTEM-level privileges, allowing them to perform any action on the system.
- Malware Installation: Attackers can install malware, including ransomware, rootkits, and keyloggers.
- Data Theft: Sensitive data can be accessed and exfiltrated.
- System Compromise: The entire system can be compromised, leading to data loss, system instability, and denial of service.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
The primary mitigation step is to update the Synaptics fingerprint driver to the latest version provided by Synaptics or your device manufacturer. The updated driver should include fixes to prevent the loading of unsigned or untrusted DLLs from the C:\ProgramData\Synaptics folder.
Recommendations:
- Apply the Patch: Immediately apply the security update released by Synaptics.
- Verify File Permissions: Ensure that the
C:\ProgramData\Synapticsfolder has appropriate access controls to prevent unauthorized users from writing to it. Restrict write access to only administrators or trusted system processes. - Monitor System Activity: Monitor system logs for suspicious activity related to DLL loading or unexpected privilege escalations.
- Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Utilize EDR solutions to detect and prevent malicious DLL loading attempts.
