CVE-2025-11792 is a high-severity local privilege escalation vulnerability affecting Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent on Windows systems prior to build 41124. The root cause is a DLL hijacking flaw (CWE-427), where the application improperly loads dynamic-link libraries from untrusted or user-controllable directories. This allows an attacker with local access and limited privileges to place a malicious DLL that the agent loads, thereby executing arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability requires user interaction, such as triggering the agent to load the malicious DLL, but does not require network access or remote exploitation. The impact includes full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system, as the attacker can gain SYSTEM-level privileges. Although no public exploits are known yet, the vulnerability’s characteristics make it a significant risk, especially in environments where local user accounts are not tightly controlled. The CVSS v3.0 score of 7.3 reflects the ease of exploitation with low attack complexity, the requirement for local privileges, and the high impact on system security. The vulnerability affects all versions of the Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent for Windows before build 41124, though specific affected versions are unspecified. No patches are linked yet, so organizations must monitor vendor advisories closely.

The vulnerability allows attackers with local access to escalate privileges to SYSTEM level, potentially leading to complete system takeover. This can result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption or destruction of backup and protection services, and the ability to disable or manipulate security controls provided by the Acronis agent. In enterprise environments, this could compromise endpoint protection, enabling attackers to move laterally or persist undetected. The high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability makes this a critical concern for organizations relying on Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent for endpoint security and backup management. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but insider threats or compromised user accounts could exploit this vulnerability. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but also means organizations should proactively address the issue before exploitation attempts emerge.

Organizations should immediately audit and restrict local user permissions to minimize the risk of unauthorized DLL placement. Employ application whitelisting and enforce strict DLL search order policies to prevent loading of malicious DLLs from untrusted directories. Monitor systems for unusual DLL loading behavior and unexpected privilege escalations. Since no official patch is currently available, closely track Acronis vendor advisories for updates and apply patches promptly once released. Consider isolating or limiting the use of the affected agent on critical systems until remediation is applied. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect suspicious local activity indicative of DLL hijacking attempts. Educate users about the risks of executing untrusted files or scripts that could trigger the vulnerability. Finally, conduct regular security assessments to identify and remediate privilege escalation vectors within the environment.