CVE-2025-4952 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource) affecting ESET NOD32 Antivirus. The issue arises from improper permissions set on certain Windows registry entries that the antivirus product relies on for startup and configuration management. Users or processes with high privileges on the local system can manipulate these registry keys to either prevent the antivirus from starting correctly upon system reboot or to alter its configuration without authorization. This could lead to a degraded security posture by disabling or weakening the antivirus protection, potentially allowing malware or other threats to operate undetected. The vulnerability requires local access with high privileges but does not require user interaction or network access, limiting its exploitation scope. The CVSS v4.0 base score is 6.8, reflecting a medium severity level due to the need for elevated privileges and the impact on availability and integrity of the security product. No known exploits have been reported, and no patches have been released at the time of this analysis. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure permission settings on critical system resources, especially for security software components that must maintain integrity and availability to protect endpoints effectively.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to significant security risks if exploited. By tampering with the antivirus registry entries, attackers or malicious insiders with high privileges could disable or misconfigure ESET NOD32 Antivirus, reducing endpoint protection effectiveness. This could facilitate malware infections, data breaches, or lateral movement within networks. Critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, energy, and government agencies that rely on ESET products for endpoint security may face increased risk of operational disruption or data compromise. The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is moderate but notable because antivirus software is a frontline defense. The requirement for high privileges limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk from insider threats or compromised administrative accounts. Organizations with shared workstations or insufficient privilege management are particularly vulnerable. The absence of known exploits provides a window for proactive mitigation before active attacks emerge.

1. Immediately audit and restrict permissions on the registry keys associated with ESET NOD32 Antivirus to ensure only trusted system processes and administrators have access. 2. Implement strict privilege management policies to minimize the number of users with high-level local privileges. 3. Monitor registry changes related to ESET antivirus configuration using endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools or Windows auditing to detect unauthorized modifications. 4. Enforce application whitelisting and integrity monitoring to prevent unauthorized tampering with security software components. 5. Educate system administrators and users about the risks of privilege misuse and the importance of maintaining endpoint security configurations. 6. Stay alert for official patches or updates from ESET and apply them promptly once released. 7. Consider deploying additional layers of security such as behavior-based malware detection to compensate for potential antivirus disruptions. 8. Regularly back up critical system configurations and registry settings to enable rapid recovery if tampering occurs.