CVE-2025-40538 (GCVE-0-2025-40538)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-02-24 07:40 – Updated: 2026-02-24 15:58
VLAI?
Title
SolarWinds Serv-U Broken Access Control Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Summary
A broken access control vulnerability exists in Serv-U which when exploited, gives a malicious actor the ability to create a system admin user and execute arbitrary code as a privileged account via domain admin or group admin privileges. This issue requires administrative privileges to abuse. On Windows deployments, the risk is scored as a medium because services frequently run under less-privileged service accounts by default.
CWE
  • CWE-269 - Improper Privilege Management
Assigner
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version
SolarWinds Serv-U Affected: SolarWinds Serv-U 15.5.3 and prior versions
Create a notification for this product.
Show details on NVD website

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2025-40538",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "none"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "no"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "total"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2026-02-24T15:52:26.233190Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2026-02-24T15:58:45.402Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "platforms": [
            "Windows",
            "Linux"
          ],
          "product": "Serv-U",
          "vendor": "SolarWinds",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "SolarWinds Serv-U 15.5.3 and prior versions"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "datePublic": "2026-02-24T07:23:00.000Z",
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "supportingMedia": [
            {
              "base64": false,
              "type": "text/html",
              "value": "A broken access control vulnerability exists in Serv-U which when exploited, gives a malicious actor the ability to create a system admin user and execute arbitrary code as a privileged account via domain admin or group admin privileges.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis issue requires administrative privileges to abuse. On Windows deployments, the risk is scored as a medium because services frequently run under less-privileged service accounts by default.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e"
            }
          ],
          "value": "A broken access control vulnerability exists in Serv-U which when exploited, gives a malicious actor the ability to create a system admin user and execute arbitrary code as a privileged account via domain admin or group admin privileges.\n\nThis issue requires administrative privileges to abuse. On Windows deployments, the risk is scored as a medium because services frequently run under less-privileged service accounts by default."
        }
      ],
      "impacts": [
        {
          "capecId": "CAPEC-233",
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "CAPEC-233 Privilege Escalation"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "LOW",
            "attackVector": "NETWORK",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "baseScore": 9.1,
            "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
            "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "HIGH",
            "scope": "CHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "NONE",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "format": "CVSS",
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "GENERAL"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-269",
              "description": "CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-02-24T07:40:12.958Z",
        "orgId": "49f11609-934d-4621-84e6-e02e032104d6",
        "shortName": "SolarWinds"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.solarwinds.com/trust-center/security-advisories/CVE-2025-40538"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://documentation.solarwinds.com/en/success_center/servu/content/release_notes/servu_15-5-4_release_notes.htm"
        }
      ],
      "solutions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "supportingMedia": [
            {
              "base64": false,
              "type": "text/html",
              "value": "SolarWinds recommends that customers upgrade to SolarWinds Serv-U 15.5.4 as soon as it becomes available.\n\n\u003cbr\u003e"
            }
          ],
          "value": "SolarWinds recommends that customers upgrade to SolarWinds Serv-U 15.5.4 as soon as it becomes available."
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
      },
      "title": "SolarWinds Serv-U Broken Access Control Remote Code Execution Vulnerability",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "Vulnogram 0.1.0-dev"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "49f11609-934d-4621-84e6-e02e032104d6",
    "assignerShortName": "SolarWinds",
    "cveId": "CVE-2025-40538",
    "datePublished": "2026-02-24T07:40:12.958Z",
    "dateReserved": "2025-04-16T08:00:57.647Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-02-24T15:58:45.402Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "vulnrichment": {
      "containers": "{\"cna\": {\"affected\": [{\"defaultStatus\": \"affected\", \"platforms\": [\"Windows\", \"Linux\"], \"product\": \"Serv-U\", \"vendor\": \"SolarWinds\", \"versions\": [{\"status\": \"affected\", \"version\": \"SolarWinds Serv-U 15.5.3 and prior versions\"}]}], \"datePublic\": \"2026-02-24T07:23:00.000Z\", \"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"supportingMedia\": [{\"base64\": false, \"type\": \"text/html\", \"value\": \"A broken access control vulnerability exists in Serv-U which when exploited, gives a malicious actor the ability to create a system admin user and execute arbitrary code as a privileged account via domain admin or group admin privileges.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis issue requires administrative privileges to abuse. On Windows deployments, the risk is scored as a medium because services frequently run under less-privileged service accounts by default.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"}], \"value\": \"A broken access control vulnerability exists in Serv-U which when exploited, gives a malicious actor the ability to create a system admin user and execute arbitrary code as a privileged account via domain admin or group admin privileges.\\n\\nThis issue requires administrative privileges to abuse. On Windows deployments, the risk is scored as a medium because services frequently run under less-privileged service accounts by default.\"}], \"impacts\": [{\"capecId\": \"CAPEC-233\", \"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"CAPEC-233 Privilege Escalation\"}]}], \"metrics\": [{\"cvssV3_1\": {\"attackComplexity\": \"LOW\", \"attackVector\": \"NETWORK\", \"availabilityImpact\": \"HIGH\", \"baseScore\": 9.1, \"baseSeverity\": \"CRITICAL\", \"confidentialityImpact\": \"HIGH\", \"integrityImpact\": \"HIGH\", \"privilegesRequired\": \"HIGH\", \"scope\": \"CHANGED\", \"userInteraction\": \"NONE\", \"vectorString\": \"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H\", \"version\": \"3.1\"}, \"format\": \"CVSS\", \"scenarios\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"GENERAL\"}]}], \"problemTypes\": [{\"descriptions\": [{\"cweId\": \"CWE-269\", \"description\": \"CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management\", \"lang\": \"en\", \"type\": \"CWE\"}]}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"orgId\": \"49f11609-934d-4621-84e6-e02e032104d6\", \"shortName\": \"SolarWinds\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-02-24T07:40:12.958Z\"}, \"references\": [{\"url\": \"https://www.solarwinds.com/trust-center/security-advisories/CVE-2025-40538\"}, {\"url\": \"https://documentation.solarwinds.com/en/success_center/servu/content/release_notes/servu_15-5-4_release_notes.htm\"}], \"solutions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"supportingMedia\": [{\"base64\": false, \"type\": \"text/html\", \"value\": \"SolarWinds recommends that customers upgrade to SolarWinds Serv-U 15.5.4 as soon as it becomes available.\\n\\n\u003cbr\u003e\"}], \"value\": \"SolarWinds recommends that customers upgrade to SolarWinds Serv-U 15.5.4 as soon as it becomes available.\"}], \"source\": {\"discovery\": \"UNKNOWN\"}, \"title\": \"SolarWinds Serv-U Broken Access Control Remote Code Execution Vulnerability\", \"x_generator\": {\"engine\": \"Vulnogram 0.1.0-dev\"}}, \"adp\": [{\"title\": \"CISA ADP Vulnrichment\", \"metrics\": [{\"other\": {\"type\": \"ssvc\", \"content\": {\"id\": \"CVE-2025-40538\", \"role\": \"CISA Coordinator\", \"options\": [{\"Exploitation\": \"none\"}, {\"Automatable\": \"no\"}, {\"Technical Impact\": \"total\"}], \"version\": \"2.0.3\", \"timestamp\": \"2026-02-24T15:52:26.233190Z\"}}}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"orgId\": \"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0\", \"shortName\": \"CISA-ADP\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-02-24T15:57:18.428Z\"}}]}",
      "cveMetadata": "{\"cveId\": \"CVE-2025-40538\", \"assignerOrgId\": \"49f11609-934d-4621-84e6-e02e032104d6\", \"state\": \"PUBLISHED\", \"assignerShortName\": \"SolarWinds\", \"dateReserved\": \"2025-04-16T08:00:57.647Z\", \"datePublished\": \"2026-02-24T07:40:12.958Z\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-02-24T15:58:45.402Z\"}",
      "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
      "dataVersion": "5.2"
    }
  }
}


Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.


Loading…

Loading…

Loading…

Sightings

Author Source Type Date

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.


Loading…

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

Loading…

Loading…