CVE-2025-24829 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability identified in the Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent for Windows versions prior to build 39378. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of dynamic link library (DLL) loading, classified under CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path). Specifically, the agent improperly searches for and loads DLLs from directories that may be writable or controlled by a non-privileged user. This allows an attacker with local access to place a malicious DLL in a location that the agent will load, thereby executing arbitrary code with elevated privileges. Since the agent typically runs with elevated or system-level privileges to perform backup and protection tasks, successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise. The vulnerability requires local access to the affected system but does not require user interaction beyond that. No public exploits are known at this time, and no official patches have been released as of the publication date. The vulnerability affects only the Windows version of the Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent, a widely used endpoint protection and backup solution in enterprise environments. Given the agent's role in critical data protection and system management, this flaw poses a significant risk if exploited, enabling attackers to bypass security controls and gain administrative control over affected endpoints.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability could be substantial. Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Agent is commonly deployed in enterprises for backup, disaster recovery, and endpoint security management. Exploitation would allow a local attacker, such as a malicious insider or an attacker who has gained limited access through other means, to escalate privileges to system or administrative level. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of backup and recovery processes, and potential deployment of further malware or ransomware. The integrity and availability of critical business data could be compromised, impacting business continuity and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR. Organizations in sectors with high reliance on data protection and endpoint security, including finance, healthcare, and government, are particularly at risk. The lack of known exploits currently provides a window for mitigation, but the vulnerability's presence in a widely used security product increases the risk of targeted attacks once exploit code becomes available.

Given the absence of an official patch, European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Restrict write permissions on directories where the Acronis agent loads DLLs to prevent unauthorized placement of malicious DLLs. This includes reviewing and hardening the agent's installation and working directories. 2) Employ application whitelisting and code integrity policies (e.g., Windows Defender Application Control or AppLocker) to prevent execution of unauthorized DLLs or binaries. 3) Monitor and audit local user activities and file system changes in directories related to the Acronis agent to detect suspicious behavior early. 4) Limit local user access rights to only those necessary, reducing the pool of users who could exploit this vulnerability. 5) Maintain up-to-date endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting anomalous DLL loading or privilege escalation attempts. 6) Engage with Acronis support for early access to patches or workarounds and plan for rapid deployment once available. 7) Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability to ensure prompt incident response if exploitation is suspected.