CVE-2025-14497 is a high-severity local privilege escalation vulnerability affecting RealDefense SUPERAntiSpyware version 10.0.1276 Free Edition. The vulnerability stems from an exposed dangerous function within the SAS Core Service component, which can be leveraged by an attacker who already has the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system. By exploiting this flaw, the attacker can escalate their privileges to SYSTEM level, thereby gaining full control over the affected machine. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-749, indicating that the software exposes dangerous methods or functions that can be misused. The CVSS v3.0 base score is 7.8, with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, meaning the attack requires local access with low complexity, no user interaction, and results in high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no public exploits are currently known, the presence of this vulnerability in endpoint security software is critical because it could allow attackers to bypass security controls and execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The lack of a patch link suggests that a fix may not yet be available, increasing the urgency for organizations to implement interim mitigations. The vulnerability was reserved and published in December 2025 by the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), indicating credible discovery and reporting.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-14497 is significant due to the potential for attackers to gain SYSTEM-level privileges on endpoints protected by RealDefense SUPERAntiSpyware. This could lead to full system compromise, unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of critical services, and lateral movement within networks. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure are particularly at risk because endpoint security products are integral to their defense-in-depth strategies. The vulnerability undermines the trust in the security product itself, potentially allowing attackers to disable or bypass malware detection and prevention mechanisms. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, exploitation could result in data breaches, ransomware deployment, or sabotage of essential services. The requirement for local code execution means that initial compromise vectors could include phishing, malicious insiders, or exploitation of other vulnerabilities, making this a potent escalation vector in multi-stage attacks.

Since no official patch is currently available, European organizations should implement the following mitigations: 1) Restrict local user permissions rigorously to minimize the ability of attackers to execute low-privileged code. 2) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor and block suspicious local activities targeting the SAS Core Service. 3) Isolate critical systems and limit administrative access to reduce the attack surface. 4) Monitor logs for unusual privilege escalation attempts or abnormal behavior related to the SUPERAntiSpyware service. 5) Engage with RealDefense support to obtain any available hotfixes or updates and plan for immediate deployment once released. 6) Conduct user awareness training to reduce the risk of initial low-privileged code execution vectors such as phishing. 7) Consider temporary disabling or replacing the affected product with alternative endpoint protection solutions if feasible until a patch is released.