CVE-2025-13918 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management) affecting Broadcom's Symantec Endpoint Protection Windows Client prior to versions 14.3 RU10 Patch 1, RU9 Patch 2, and RU8 Patch 3. The vulnerability allows an attacker who already has some level of access on the affected system to escalate their privileges beyond what is intended by exploiting flaws in how the software manages permissions internally. Specifically, the issue could enable an attacker with limited local privileges to gain elevated rights, potentially allowing them to execute arbitrary code with higher privileges, access sensitive data, or disable security features. The CVSS v3.1 score of 6.7 reflects a medium severity, with attack vector being local (AV:L), requiring low attack complexity (AC:L), high privileges (PR:H), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require the attacker to have already some elevated privileges, which limits the attack surface but still poses a serious risk if exploited. No public exploits or active exploitation have been reported to date. The vulnerability affects enterprise environments that deploy Symantec Endpoint Protection on Windows clients, which are widely used for endpoint security in corporate networks. The flaw could undermine endpoint protection effectiveness by allowing attackers to bypass security controls and gain administrative access on endpoints.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to endpoint security, especially in sectors relying heavily on Symantec Endpoint Protection for malware defense and device control. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized administrative access on Windows endpoints, enabling attackers to disable security features, move laterally within networks, exfiltrate sensitive data, or deploy ransomware. This could result in data breaches, operational disruption, and regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to compromised confidentiality and integrity of data. Organizations with large Windows client deployments using affected versions are particularly vulnerable. The requirement for local access with high privileges reduces the likelihood of remote exploitation but insider threats or attackers who have already compromised lower-privileged accounts could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges further. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive patching and mitigation before widespread attacks occur.

1. Apply the latest patches from Broadcom for Symantec Endpoint Protection Windows Client as soon as they become available, specifically versions 14.3 RU10 Patch 1, RU9 Patch 2, or RU8 Patch 3 or later. 2. Enforce the principle of least privilege by restricting local user permissions on endpoints to prevent attackers from gaining the initial elevated privileges required for exploitation. 3. Implement application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor and block suspicious privilege escalation attempts. 4. Conduct regular audits of user accounts and permissions to identify and remediate excessive privileges. 5. Educate IT and security teams to recognize signs of local privilege escalation and investigate anomalies promptly. 6. Use network segmentation to limit lateral movement if an endpoint is compromised. 7. Maintain up-to-date backups and incident response plans to mitigate impact if exploitation occurs.