CVE-2025-48982 is a vulnerability identified in Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows version 4.7.2 that enables local privilege escalation. The flaw arises when a system administrator performs a restore operation involving a maliciously crafted file. If the administrator is tricked into restoring this file, the attacker can escalate privileges from a limited user context to higher system privileges, potentially SYSTEM level. The attack vector is local, requiring the attacker to have some level of access to the system and to engage the administrator in restoring the malicious file, indicating user interaction is necessary. The vulnerability affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability because an attacker gaining elevated privileges can access sensitive data, modify system configurations, or disrupt backup and recovery processes. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the vulnerability’s CVSS 3.0 score of 7.3 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) indicates it is a high-severity issue with low attack complexity but requiring local privileges and user interaction. The lack of a published patch at the time of disclosure means organizations must rely on operational mitigations until updates are available. Given Veeam Agent’s widespread use in enterprise backup and disaster recovery, this vulnerability poses a significant risk if exploited.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to severe consequences including unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of backup and recovery operations, and potential full system compromise. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure that rely heavily on Veeam Agent for Windows backups are particularly at risk. The ability to escalate privileges locally means that insider threats or attackers who have gained limited access could leverage this vulnerability to deepen their foothold. This could result in data breaches, operational downtime, and loss of trust. Additionally, the disruption of backup integrity undermines disaster recovery capabilities, increasing the risk of prolonged outages. The requirement for administrator interaction means social engineering or phishing tactics could be used to trigger exploitation, adding a human factor risk. Overall, the vulnerability threatens the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical systems and data within European enterprises.

1. Limit the number of administrators authorized to perform restore operations and enforce strict access controls around backup and restore functions. 2. Implement multi-factor authentication and strong identity verification for administrative actions related to backup restoration. 3. Educate system administrators about the risks of restoring files from untrusted or suspicious sources and establish verification procedures for restore files. 4. Monitor and log all restore operations to detect unusual or unauthorized activity promptly. 5. Until a patch is released, consider isolating backup systems and restricting local access to minimize exposure. 6. Employ application whitelisting or endpoint protection solutions to detect and block attempts to execute malicious payloads during restore processes. 7. Regularly review and update backup and disaster recovery policies to incorporate security best practices addressing this vulnerability. 8. Once available, promptly apply vendor patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-48982.