CVE-2025-36537 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting TeamViewer Remote Management features within the TeamViewer Full Client and Host versions prior to 15.67 on Windows platforms. The flaw arises from incorrect permission assignments for critical resources related to Remote Management functionalities, specifically Backup, Monitoring, and Patch Management. This misconfiguration allows a local unprivileged user to exploit the MSI rollback mechanism to perform arbitrary file deletions with SYSTEM-level privileges. The MSI rollback mechanism is typically used during software installation or updates to revert changes if an installation fails. By leveraging this mechanism improperly, an attacker can escalate privileges from a low-privileged local user to SYSTEM, the highest privilege level on Windows, enabling deletion of critical system or application files. The vulnerability requires local access and does not need user interaction, but it demands a high attack complexity due to the need to manipulate the MSI rollback process. The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.0, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as arbitrary file deletion at SYSTEM level can lead to system compromise, data loss, or denial of service. No known exploits have been reported in the wild yet, but the potential for severe damage exists, especially in environments where TeamViewer Remote Management is widely deployed. The affected versions span multiple major releases (11.0.0 through 15.0.0), indicating a long-standing issue that requires patching or upgrading to version 15.67 or later. This vulnerability is particularly critical because it targets Remote Management features, which are often used in enterprise environments for system maintenance and monitoring, making it a strategic attack vector for lateral movement or sabotage within corporate networks.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-36537 can be significant. Many enterprises rely on TeamViewer Remote Management for critical IT operations such as backup, patch management, and system monitoring. Exploitation could allow a local attacker, such as a compromised employee workstation or insider threat, to escalate privileges and delete essential system files, potentially causing system outages, data loss, or disruption of business continuity. This could affect sectors with high reliance on remote management tools, including finance, manufacturing, healthcare, and public administration. The ability to delete files with SYSTEM privileges can also facilitate further attacks, such as installing persistent malware or disabling security controls. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, organizations could face regulatory compliance issues under GDPR if sensitive data is compromised or lost. Additionally, operational disruptions could lead to financial losses and reputational damage. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the vulnerability’s presence in widely used versions means many organizations remain at risk until patches are applied.

Upgrade TeamViewer Full Client and Host to version 15.67 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed. If immediate upgrade is not possible, restrict local user permissions on systems running vulnerable TeamViewer versions to prevent unprivileged users from accessing or manipulating MSI rollback files or related Remote Management components. Implement strict endpoint security controls to monitor and restrict unauthorized local access, including application whitelisting and behavior-based detection to identify suspicious MSI rollback activities. Audit and limit the use of Remote Management features (Backup, Monitoring, Patch Management) to only trusted administrators and systems to reduce the attack surface. Regularly review and harden Windows Installer (MSI) rollback permissions and configurations to prevent misuse by non-privileged users. Deploy comprehensive logging and alerting for file deletion events and privilege escalation attempts on critical systems to enable rapid detection and response. Conduct internal security awareness training to highlight risks of local privilege escalation and encourage reporting of suspicious activity. Coordinate with IT asset management to identify all endpoints running affected TeamViewer versions and prioritize patching based on criticality and exposure.