CVE-2025-9871 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability identified in Razer Synapse 3, specifically version 3.10.228.21112. The root cause is an improper link resolution (CWE-59) in the Razer Chroma SDK installer component. The vulnerability allows an attacker who already has the ability to execute code with low privileges on the system to create symbolic links that the installer follows incorrectly. This leads to arbitrary file deletion during the installation process. By exploiting this, an attacker can escalate their privileges to SYSTEM level, enabling execution of arbitrary code with the highest system privileges. The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require prior local access with limited code execution capabilities. The CVSS v3.0 base score is 7.8, indicating high severity, with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, meaning the attack is local, requires low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability significantly. No public exploits are known at this time, but the vulnerability was published on October 29, 2025, and was reserved by ZDI under ZDI-CAN-26373. The lack of a patch link suggests that a fix may not yet be available, emphasizing the need for mitigation strategies.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially in environments where Razer Synapse 3 is deployed on workstations or gaming rigs used for development, esports, or multimedia production. Successful exploitation allows attackers to gain SYSTEM-level privileges from a low-privilege starting point, potentially leading to full system compromise. This can result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of services, and the ability to install persistent malware or backdoors. The vulnerability affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability, making it a critical risk in corporate environments. Organizations with remote or shared access to systems running Razer Synapse 3 are particularly at risk, as attackers could leverage this flaw to escalate privileges after gaining initial footholds via other means. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits rapidly once the vulnerability is public. The impact is heightened in sectors where system integrity is paramount, such as financial services, critical infrastructure, and technology companies prevalent in Europe.

Until an official patch is released, European organizations should implement several specific mitigations: 1) Restrict local user permissions to the minimum necessary, preventing unauthorized code execution at any privilege level. 2) Monitor and restrict the creation of symbolic links by non-administrative users, using filesystem auditing tools to detect suspicious link creation activities. 3) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions that can detect and block attempts to exploit installer processes or unusual file deletions. 4) Isolate systems running Razer Synapse 3 from sensitive networks or limit their network access to reduce lateral movement opportunities. 5) Educate users about the risks of running untrusted code locally, as initial low-privilege code execution is a prerequisite for exploitation. 6) Regularly review and harden local privilege escalation vectors and maintain up-to-date backups to recover from potential destructive actions. 7) Once available, promptly apply vendor patches and verify their deployment across all affected systems. 8) Consider temporarily uninstalling or disabling Razer Synapse 3 on critical systems if the risk outweighs operational needs.