CVE-2025-52915 is a vulnerability found in the K7RKScan.sys driver version 23.0.0.10, which is a component of the K7 Security Anti-Malware suite. This vulnerability arises due to insufficient validation of the caller in the driver's IOCTL (Input Output Control) handler. Specifically, an admin-privileged user can send specially crafted IOCTL requests to the driver that allow termination of processes protected by third-party implementations. Because the driver operates in kernel space, this flaw enables unauthorized processes to perform privileged actions that should normally be restricted. The root cause is the lack of proper verification of the origin and legitimacy of the IOCTL requests, which leads to an elevation of privilege within the kernel context. Exploiting this vulnerability can result in denial of service (DoS) conditions by disrupting critical third-party services or applications that rely on process protection mechanisms. Although the vulnerability requires administrative privileges to exploit, the impact is significant because it undermines kernel-level protections and can cause system instability or service outages. No public exploits are currently known, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2025 and published in September 2025, indicating it is a recent discovery. The lack of patch information suggests that remediation may not yet be available or publicly disclosed.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to environments using the K7 Security Anti-Malware suite, particularly version 23.0.0.10 of the K7RKScan.sys driver. The ability to terminate protected processes from kernel space can lead to denial of service attacks against critical security or operational services, potentially disrupting business continuity. This is especially concerning for sectors with high reliance on endpoint protection and process integrity, such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. The requirement for administrative privileges limits the attack surface to insiders or attackers who have already gained elevated access, but once exploited, it can facilitate further lateral movement or sabotage. Given the kernel-level impact, system stability and integrity may be compromised, increasing the risk of broader system failures or cascading effects on dependent applications. European organizations with strict regulatory requirements around availability and integrity (e.g., GDPR, NIS Directive) may face compliance risks if this vulnerability leads to service disruptions or data loss.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should: 1) Immediately audit and monitor administrative accounts and activities to detect any unusual or unauthorized use of IOCTL calls or process termination requests. 2) Limit administrative privileges strictly to trusted personnel and implement strong access controls and multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of privilege misuse. 3) Engage with K7 Security to obtain updates or patches addressing this vulnerability as soon as they become available. 4) Consider deploying additional endpoint protection layers that can detect anomalous kernel-level behavior or unauthorized process terminations. 5) Implement robust logging and alerting on kernel driver interactions and process lifecycle events to enable rapid detection and response. 6) In environments where patching is delayed, consider temporary compensating controls such as application whitelisting or restricting access to vulnerable endpoints. 7) Conduct thorough testing of anti-malware and security software updates in controlled environments before deployment to avoid unintended disruptions.