CVE-2025-5491 is a high-severity remote code execution vulnerability affecting Acer ControlCenter version 4.00.3000. The vulnerability arises from improper privilege management (CWE-269) related to a Windows Named Pipe exposed by the ControlCenter application. This Named Pipe uses a custom protocol to invoke internal functions but is misconfigured in such a way that remote users with low privileges can interact with it. Critically, one of the accessible features allows execution of arbitrary programs with NT AUTHORITY/SYSTEM privileges, effectively granting full system control to an attacker. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and can be exploited remotely over the network with low privileges, making it highly accessible to attackers. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 8.8, reflecting the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with low attack complexity and no user interaction needed. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's nature and severity suggest that exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data theft, or disruption of services on affected machines. The vulnerability is specific to Acer ControlCenter version 4.00.3000, a utility typically pre-installed on Acer devices to manage system settings and hardware features, which means the attack surface is limited to environments using this software version on Windows systems. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for mitigation and monitoring.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-5491 could be significant, especially for enterprises and public sector entities that use Acer hardware with ControlCenter installed. Successful exploitation would allow attackers to gain SYSTEM-level privileges remotely, enabling them to execute arbitrary code, install persistent malware, exfiltrate sensitive data, or disrupt critical operations. This could lead to breaches of personal data protected under GDPR, operational downtime, and reputational damage. Sectors with high reliance on Acer devices, such as education, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and certain government offices, may be particularly vulnerable. Additionally, the ability to escalate privileges remotely without user interaction increases the risk of automated or worm-like propagation within networks. Given the high integrity and availability impact, critical infrastructure and organizations with stringent security requirements could face severe operational risks if targeted. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the vulnerability's characteristics make it a likely target for attackers once exploit code becomes available.

1. Immediate mitigation should include disabling or restricting access to the vulnerable Named Pipe used by Acer ControlCenter, if feasible, through Windows security policies or firewall rules to limit network exposure. 2. Organizations should inventory all Acer devices and verify the presence and version of ControlCenter, prioritizing those running version 4.00.3000 for urgent attention. 3. Apply any vendor-provided updates or patches as soon as they become available; in the absence of patches, consider uninstalling or disabling Acer ControlCenter if it is not essential. 4. Implement network segmentation to isolate vulnerable devices from critical network segments, reducing the risk of lateral movement. 5. Enhance monitoring for unusual activity related to Named Pipe communications and privilege escalation attempts, using endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of detecting anomalous process executions with SYSTEM privileges. 6. Enforce the principle of least privilege on user accounts and services to limit the impact of potential exploitation. 7. Educate IT staff about this vulnerability to ensure rapid response and incident handling. 8. Consider deploying application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized execution of arbitrary code even if the vulnerability is exploited.