CVE-2025-13176 is a vulnerability identified in the ESET Inspect Connector product developed by ESET, spol. s.r.o. The root cause is improper privilege management (CWE-269), which allows an attacker with limited local privileges to plant a custom configuration file. This malicious configuration file causes the software to load an arbitrary malicious DLL, effectively enabling code execution with elevated privileges. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 8.4 (high severity), reflecting the vulnerability's potential to compromise confidentiality and integrity with high impact, despite requiring local access and privileges. The attack vector is local (AV:L), with low attack complexity (AC:L), no authentication required (AT:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability affects version 0 of the product, which likely refers to initial or early releases. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild, the vulnerability presents a significant risk due to the ability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code. The lack of available patches increases the urgency for organizations to implement compensating controls. The vulnerability does not affect availability but poses a critical threat to system integrity and confidentiality. The technical details confirm the vulnerability was reserved in late 2025 and published in early 2026, indicating recent discovery and disclosure.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk, especially those relying on ESET Inspect Connector for endpoint detection and response or security monitoring. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to escalate privileges from a limited local user to higher privileged contexts, potentially leading to full system compromise. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of security monitoring capabilities, and lateral movement within networks. Critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, energy, and government agencies that deploy ESET solutions are particularly vulnerable. The ability to load malicious DLLs can facilitate persistent backdoors or malware deployment, undermining incident response efforts. The absence of patches means organizations must rely on strict access controls and monitoring to mitigate risk. Given the local attack vector, insider threats or attackers who have already gained limited access could exploit this vulnerability to deepen their foothold. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is high, with potential cascading effects on availability if attackers disable security tools.

1. Immediately restrict write permissions on directories and configuration files used by ESET Inspect Connector to prevent unauthorized modifications. 2. Implement strict local user privilege management, ensuring users have only the minimum necessary rights. 3. Monitor file system changes and configuration files for unauthorized or suspicious modifications using file integrity monitoring tools. 4. Isolate systems running ESET Inspect Connector from less trusted networks and users to reduce the risk of local exploitation. 5. Employ application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized DLLs from loading. 6. Conduct regular audits of local accounts and privilege assignments to detect potential misuse. 7. Until an official patch is released, consider disabling or limiting the use of the vulnerable component if feasible. 8. Prepare incident response plans to quickly detect and respond to signs of exploitation. 9. Engage with ESET support for updates and guidance on forthcoming patches or workarounds. 10. Educate local administrators and users about the risks of privilege escalation and the importance of maintaining strict access controls.