CVE-2025-53425 is an incorrect privilege assignment vulnerability found in Dokan, Inc.'s Dokan library, specifically affecting versions up to and including 4.1.2. Dokan is a user-mode file system library for Windows that allows developers to create virtual file systems without writing kernel-mode code. The vulnerability arises from improper assignment of privileges within the dokan-lite component, which can be exploited by an attacker with some level of existing privileges (PR:L) to escalate their privileges further without requiring user interaction (UI:N). The CVSS vector (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L) indicates that the attack can be launched remotely over the network with low attack complexity, requiring limited privileges but no user interaction. The impact includes high confidentiality loss, partial integrity compromise, and partial availability degradation. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability's nature and ease of exploitation make it a critical concern for environments using Dokan for virtual file system implementations. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2025 and published in October 2025, but no patch links are currently available, indicating that remediation may still be pending or in progress.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-53425 can be significant, especially for those relying on Dokan for file system virtualization in enterprise applications, cloud services, or development tools. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to escalate privileges from a limited user context to higher privilege levels, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of critical files, or disruption of services. This could affect confidentiality by exposing sensitive information, integrity by allowing unauthorized changes, and availability by enabling denial-of-service conditions. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure that use Dokan-based solutions may face increased risk of targeted attacks. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged as a stepping stone in multi-stage attacks, increasing the overall threat landscape. The lack of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the ease of exploitation and network attack vector necessitate urgent attention.

1. Monitor vendor communications closely for official patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-53425 and apply them immediately upon release. 2. Until patches are available, restrict access to Dokan components by limiting user permissions and network exposure to systems running Dokan. 3. Implement strict application whitelisting and privilege separation to minimize the ability of attackers to leverage the vulnerability for privilege escalation. 4. Conduct thorough audits of systems using Dokan to identify and isolate vulnerable versions, prioritizing remediation in high-risk environments. 5. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for unusual privilege escalation attempts or anomalous behavior related to Dokan processes. 6. Educate system administrators and developers about the risks associated with Dokan and encourage secure coding and deployment practices to reduce attack surface. 7. Consider temporary disabling or replacing Dokan-dependent features if feasible until a secure version is available. 8. Maintain robust backup and recovery procedures to mitigate potential damage from exploitation.