CVE-2025-26168 is a high-severity local privilege escalation vulnerability affecting the IXON VPN Client versions prior to 1.4.4 on Linux and macOS platforms. The root cause is an incorrect permission assignment (CWE-732) related to a temporary configuration file used by the VPN client. Specifically, the client creates a temporary configuration file in a world-writable directory, which introduces a race condition. A low-privileged local user can exploit this race condition by overwriting the temporary configuration file before the VPN client reads or executes it. Because the configuration file is processed with elevated privileges, this manipulation allows the attacker to execute arbitrary code with root-level permissions. The vulnerability does not require prior authentication or user interaction, but it does require local access to the system. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as well as the complexity of exploitation being high due to the race condition. The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, potentially compromising the entire system. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the vulnerability's nature makes it a significant risk for systems running vulnerable IXON VPN Client versions. The lack of a patch link suggests that a fix may be forthcoming or that users must upgrade to version 1.4.4 or later to mitigate the issue.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a serious threat, especially those relying on IXON VPN Client for secure remote access and industrial IoT connectivity. Successful exploitation results in full root access, allowing attackers to bypass security controls, access sensitive data, modify system configurations, install persistent malware, or disrupt operations. This can lead to data breaches, operational downtime, and loss of trust. Given the VPN client's role in securing communications, compromise could also facilitate lateral movement within corporate networks, escalating the impact. Organizations in critical infrastructure sectors, manufacturing, and industrial automation—where IXON products are commonly used—are particularly at risk. The vulnerability's presence on both Linux and macOS broadens the affected user base, including developers and system administrators who may use these platforms. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not diminish the urgency for mitigation, as proof-of-concept exploits could emerge rapidly.

1. Immediate upgrade to IXON VPN Client version 1.4.4 or later, where the vulnerability is addressed. 2. Until patching is possible, restrict local user permissions to prevent untrusted users from accessing or modifying directories where temporary configuration files are stored. 3. Implement filesystem monitoring and integrity checks on directories used by the VPN client to detect unauthorized changes. 4. Employ mandatory access controls (e.g., SELinux, AppArmor) to limit the VPN client's ability to execute or read files from world-writable directories. 5. Conduct regular audits of local user accounts and remove or disable unnecessary accounts to reduce the attack surface. 6. Educate system administrators about the risks of running vulnerable VPN clients and the importance of applying updates promptly. 7. Monitor system logs for unusual activity indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unexpected root-level processes spawned by the VPN client. 8. Consider isolating critical systems using network segmentation to limit the impact of a potential compromise.