CVE-2025-50675 identifies a critical vulnerability in GPMAW 14, a bioinformatics software package. The core issue lies in insecure file permissions set on the software's installation directory, which is configured with full read, write, and execute permissions for all users. This misconfiguration allows any unprivileged user on the system to modify or replace files within the directory, including key executable files such as GPMAW3.exe, Fragment.exe, and notably the uninstaller executable GPsetup64_17028.exe. The uninstaller is typically run with administrative privileges when an administrator initiates the software removal process. An attacker with standard user access can exploit this vulnerability by substituting the legitimate uninstaller with a malicious version. When the administrator later runs the uninstaller, the malicious code executes with elevated privileges, effectively enabling privilege escalation from a low-privileged user to an administrator. This vulnerability does not require the attacker to have initial administrative access or complex exploitation techniques; it leverages a simple but critical misconfiguration in file system permissions. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild at this time, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the ease of exploitation and the potential for full system compromise. The lack of a CVSS score suggests this is a newly disclosed issue, but the technical details clearly indicate a high-severity privilege escalation vector that could be leveraged for persistent and stealthy attacks within affected environments.

For European organizations, especially those involved in bioinformatics, healthcare research, or pharmaceutical development where GPMAW 14 may be deployed, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized administrative access on critical research or production systems, potentially resulting in data theft, manipulation of sensitive biological data, disruption of research workflows, or deployment of further malware. The ability to escalate privileges from a standard user to administrator undermines internal security controls and could facilitate lateral movement within networks. Given the sensitive nature of bioinformatics data and the regulatory environment in Europe (e.g., GDPR), a breach resulting from this vulnerability could also lead to significant compliance violations and reputational damage. The impact extends beyond confidentiality to integrity and availability, as attackers could modify executables or uninstallers to maintain persistence or disrupt operations. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the vulnerability's characteristics make it a prime target for attackers seeking privilege escalation opportunities in scientific and healthcare sectors.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should immediately audit the file permissions of the GPMAW 14 installation directory and all subdirectories and files. Permissions must be restricted to allow write and execute access only to trusted administrative users and deny such permissions to standard users. Specifically, the uninstaller executable (GPsetup64_17028.exe) should be protected against modification by non-administrative accounts. Organizations should implement the principle of least privilege on all systems running GPMAW 14, ensuring that users operate with the minimum necessary permissions. Additionally, deploying application whitelisting and integrity monitoring tools can detect unauthorized changes to executables and installers. Administrators should consider temporarily disabling or restricting uninstaller execution to trusted personnel until patches or configuration fixes are applied. If available, applying vendor patches or updates that correct the permission settings is critical. In environments where patching is delayed, compensating controls such as enhanced monitoring for unusual uninstaller executions and user behavior analytics can help detect exploitation attempts. Finally, educating users about the risks of privilege escalation and maintaining strict access controls on shared systems will reduce the attack surface.