CVE-2025-47867 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability identified in Trend Micro Apex Central, specifically affecting versions below 8.0.6955. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of special elements in output used by a downstream component, classified under CWE-74. This flaw allows an attacker with local privileges to include arbitrary files that can be executed as PHP code within the context of the Apex Central application. Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to remote code execution (RCE), granting the attacker the ability to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. The vulnerability requires local privileges (PR:L), has a high attack complexity (AC:H), and does not require user interaction (UI:N). The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), meaning the attacker can exploit it remotely over the network if they have some level of access. The scope is unchanged (S:U), indicating the vulnerability affects only the vulnerable component without impacting other components. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, categorized as high severity, reflecting the significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability is not currently known to be exploited in the wild, but the potential for damage is substantial given the ability to execute arbitrary PHP code remotely. Apex Central is a centralized management console widely used by organizations to manage Trend Micro security products, making this vulnerability particularly critical as it could compromise the security management infrastructure itself. Since the vulnerability affects a management platform, successful exploitation could lead to full compromise of the security monitoring and response capabilities, potentially allowing attackers to disable or manipulate security controls across the enterprise environment.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-47867 could be severe. Trend Micro Apex Central is commonly deployed in enterprises for centralized security management, including in sectors such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and government institutions across Europe. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized remote code execution on the management server, allowing attackers to gain control over security configurations, disable protections, or pivot to other critical systems within the network. This could result in data breaches, disruption of security monitoring, and potential compliance violations under regulations such as GDPR. The high integrity and availability impact means that attackers could manipulate security policies or cause denial of service to security operations, severely degrading an organization’s ability to detect and respond to threats. Given the critical role of Apex Central in managing endpoint and network security, this vulnerability could facilitate advanced persistent threats (APTs) or ransomware campaigns targeting European enterprises. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the high severity score and ease of remote network exploitation with local privileges make timely patching essential to prevent potential compromise.

1. Immediate upgrade: Organizations should prioritize upgrading Trend Micro Apex Central to version 8.0.6955 or later, where this vulnerability is addressed. 2. Restrict access: Limit network access to the Apex Central management console to trusted administrative networks only, using network segmentation and firewall rules to reduce exposure. 3. Harden user privileges: Enforce the principle of least privilege by restricting local user accounts on the Apex Central server to only those necessary for administration, minimizing the risk of local exploitation. 4. Monitor logs: Implement enhanced monitoring and alerting on Apex Central logs for unusual file inclusion attempts or PHP execution anomalies. 5. Application whitelisting: Use application control to restrict execution of unauthorized PHP scripts or files on the Apex Central server. 6. Incident response readiness: Prepare incident response plans specifically for potential compromise of security management infrastructure, including backup and recovery procedures for Apex Central configurations. 7. Vendor communication: Stay updated with Trend Micro advisories for any patches or workarounds and apply them promptly. 8. Network-level protections: Deploy intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) tuned to detect exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on reducing attack surface, enforcing strict access controls, and preparing for rapid detection and response specific to the Apex Central environment.