CVE-2025-57521 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability affecting Bambu Studio version 2.1.1.52 and earlier. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to validate the digital signature or authenticity of a network plugin it loads during startup. Specifically, the application loads a plugin from a location that can be controlled by a local attacker, such as the %APPDATA% directory on Windows systems. By placing a malicious plugin component in this location, an attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution within the context of the logged-in user. The main application is digitally signed, which may cause security products that rely on process signing to trust the malicious plugin indirectly, allowing it to evade detection. This vulnerability does not require remote access or user interaction beyond local write access to the plugin directory. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild, the vulnerability presents a significant risk because it enables attackers with local access to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to further compromise. The absence of a CVSS score indicates that the vulnerability is newly published and not yet fully assessed, but the technical details suggest a high severity due to the combination of code execution, signature trust inheritance, and ease of exploitation. The vulnerability affects all users running vulnerable versions of Bambu Studio, especially in environments where multiple users share systems or where local access controls are weak.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized code execution on endpoints running vulnerable versions of Bambu Studio, potentially resulting in data theft, lateral movement, or persistence by attackers. Since the exploit requires local access, the threat is particularly relevant in environments with shared workstations, remote desktop services, or where endpoint security controls are insufficient. The fact that the malicious plugin can inherit trust from the signed parent process may reduce detection efficacy by endpoint protection platforms commonly used in Europe. This could increase the risk of stealthy attacks and complicate incident response. Organizations in sectors with high regulatory requirements for data protection, such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, may face compliance risks if this vulnerability is exploited. Additionally, the widespread use of Bambu Studio in design, engineering, or creative industries across Europe means that intellectual property could be at risk. The vulnerability's exploitation could also serve as a foothold for more advanced attacks targeting enterprise networks.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Immediately restrict write permissions to directories where Bambu Studio loads plugins, especially user-writable locations like %APPDATA%, to prevent unauthorized file placement. 2) Employ application whitelisting solutions that verify the integrity and origin of plugins before loading, ensuring only trusted components are executed. 3) Monitor file system changes in plugin directories using endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect suspicious additions or modifications. 4) Encourage users to update to the latest version of Bambu Studio once a patch is released, or apply vendor-provided mitigations if available. 5) Conduct user training to reduce the risk of local compromise and enforce least privilege principles to limit local write access. 6) Use behavioral monitoring to detect anomalous process activity that could indicate exploitation attempts. 7) Integrate digital signature verification at the application or OS level to prevent loading unsigned or tampered plugins. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling plugin loading paths, enhancing detection, and enforcing strict access controls tailored to this vulnerability.