CVE-2025-13711 is a critical vulnerability in Tencent's TFace product, specifically within the eval endpoint, which improperly handles deserialization of untrusted data. Deserialization vulnerabilities occur when an application deserializes data from untrusted sources without sufficient validation, allowing attackers to craft malicious serialized objects that execute arbitrary code upon deserialization. In this case, the flaw arises from the eval endpoint's failure to validate user-supplied input, enabling remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on affected systems. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as visiting a malicious webpage or opening a malicious file, which triggers the vulnerable deserialization process. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data) and has a CVSS v3.0 base score of 7.8, indicating high severity. The attack vector is local (AV:L), but no privileges are required (PR:N), and user interaction is necessary (UI:R). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H), meaning successful exploitation can fully compromise the affected system. No patches or known exploits are currently available, but the potential for remote code execution with root privileges makes this a critical risk for organizations using Tencent TFace. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on December 23, 2025, and assigned ZDI-CAN-27187 by the Zero Day Initiative.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-13711 is significant due to the potential for full system compromise. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of services, and complete loss of system integrity and availability. Organizations relying on Tencent TFace for facial recognition or related services may face operational downtime, data breaches, and reputational damage. The root-level code execution capability means attackers can deploy persistent malware, move laterally within networks, and exfiltrate data. Critical sectors such as government, finance, healthcare, and telecommunications that may use Tencent TFace or integrate it into their security or identity verification systems are particularly vulnerable. The requirement for user interaction somewhat limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where social engineering or phishing attacks are common. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the high severity demands immediate attention to prevent potential exploitation.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Monitor Tencent’s official channels closely for patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-13711 and apply them immediately upon release. 2) Restrict access to the eval endpoint by implementing network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure only to trusted users and systems. 3) Employ strict input validation and sanitization on all data processed by Tencent TFace, especially data reaching the eval endpoint, to prevent malicious serialized objects from being processed. 4) Educate users about the risks of opening files or visiting links from untrusted sources to reduce the likelihood of user interaction-based exploitation. 5) Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying suspicious deserialization activities or anomalous process behaviors indicative of exploitation attempts. 6) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on deserialization vulnerabilities within Tencent TFace deployments. 7) Implement application-layer security controls such as Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) configured to detect and block malicious payloads targeting deserialization flaws. 8) Maintain robust backup and recovery procedures to minimize impact in case of successful exploitation. These measures collectively reduce the attack surface and improve detection and response capabilities against this vulnerability.