CVE-2025-11792 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability identified in the Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent for Windows, specifically affecting versions prior to build 41124. The root cause is a DLL hijacking flaw categorized under CWE-427, where the application improperly loads dynamic link libraries from untrusted or user-controlled directories. This allows an attacker with local access and limited privileges to place a malicious DLL that the agent will load, thereby executing arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability requires some user interaction, such as running or triggering the vulnerable agent component, but does not require network access, limiting remote exploitation. The CVSS v3.0 base score is 7.3, reflecting high severity due to the potential for complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected system. Although no exploits have been observed in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk in environments where the agent is deployed, especially in enterprise and cloud-managed backup scenarios. The lack of a current patch means organizations must rely on mitigation strategies until an official update is released. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure DLL loading practices and the risks posed by local privilege escalation vectors in endpoint protection software.

If exploited, this vulnerability allows a local attacker to escalate privileges from a limited user account to higher system privileges, potentially SYSTEM or administrator level. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive backup data, manipulation or deletion of backup sets, and disruption of backup and recovery operations. The attacker could also install persistent malware or disable security controls, severely impacting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical systems. Organizations relying on Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent for data protection and disaster recovery could face operational downtime, data loss, and compliance violations. The local nature of the exploit limits the attack surface but insider threats or attackers who have gained initial footholds could leverage this vulnerability to deepen their access and control. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as proof-of-concept code may emerge.

Until an official patch is released, organizations should implement strict local access controls to limit the ability of unprivileged users to write or modify files in directories where the Acronis agent loads DLLs. Employ application whitelisting and integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized DLLs or changes to the agent's installation directories. Restrict user permissions to the minimum necessary and monitor for suspicious local activity indicative of privilege escalation attempts. Consider isolating systems running the agent from untrusted users and networks to reduce the risk of local exploitation. Once a patch is available, prioritize its deployment across all affected endpoints. Additionally, review and harden DLL search order configurations and educate users about the risks of running untrusted software or opening unknown files that could trigger the vulnerability. Regularly audit and update endpoint protection software to ensure vulnerabilities are remediated promptly.