CVE-2025-24829 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability identified in the Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent for Windows versions before build 39378. The root cause is a DLL hijacking flaw classified under CWE-426, where the software improperly loads dynamic link libraries from untrusted locations. An attacker with local access and limited privileges can exploit this vulnerability by placing a malicious DLL in a location that the agent loads, thereby executing arbitrary code with elevated privileges. This elevates the attacker’s permissions, potentially allowing them to compromise system confidentiality and integrity. The vulnerability does not affect availability directly and requires no user interaction, but the attack complexity is high due to the need for local access and precise conditions to hijack the DLL loading process. The CVSS v3.0 score is 6.3, reflecting medium severity with a vector indicating local attack vector, high attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, and impact on confidentiality and integrity but not availability. No public exploits or active exploitation have been reported to date. The vulnerability affects organizations relying on Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent for backup and cybersecurity management, particularly in Windows environments. Since the agent is often deployed in enterprise and cloud environments, this vulnerability could be leveraged by insiders or attackers who have gained limited access to escalate privileges and further compromise systems. The lack of a patch link suggests that remediation may be pending or that users should await official updates from Acronis. The vulnerability was reserved and published in January 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-24829 is the potential for local attackers to escalate privileges on affected Windows systems running Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of system configurations, and execution of malicious code with elevated rights. For organizations, this undermines the security assurances provided by the agent, potentially compromising backup integrity and cybersecurity monitoring. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could move laterally within networks, escalate from limited user accounts to administrative control, and disable or tamper with security controls. Although no availability impact is noted, the compromise of confidentiality and integrity can result in data breaches, compliance violations, and operational disruptions. The medium severity rating reflects the need for local access and high attack complexity, but the consequences of successful exploitation are significant, especially in environments where the agent is critical for data protection and incident response.

Organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Restrict local access to systems running the Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent to trusted personnel only, minimizing the risk of local exploitation. 2) Monitor and audit file system locations where DLLs are loaded by the agent to detect unauthorized or suspicious DLL files. 3) Employ application whitelisting and code integrity policies to prevent loading of untrusted DLLs. 4) Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to identify anomalous behaviors indicative of DLL hijacking attempts. 5) Segregate backup and cybersecurity management systems from general user environments to reduce exposure. 6) Stay informed on Acronis security advisories and apply patches or updates promptly once released. 7) Conduct regular security training to raise awareness about the risks of local privilege escalation and the importance of system hygiene. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling local access, monitoring DLL loading behavior, and enforcing strict code execution policies tailored to the nature of the vulnerability.