CVE-2025-71213
Privilege Escalation in Trend Micro Apex One
Publication date: 2026-05-21
Last updated on: 2026-05-21
Assigner: Trend Micro, Inc.
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| trend_micro | apex_one | to 2025-10-01 (exc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-346 | The product does not properly verify that the source of data or communication is valid. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2025-71213 is a vulnerability in Trend Micro Apex One caused by an origin validation error in the Apex One NT Listener service. This flaw allows a local attacker, who already has the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system, to escalate their privileges. The vulnerability arises because the service does not properly validate the origin of commands, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM-level privileges.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can have a significant impact as it allows an attacker with limited access to escalate their privileges to SYSTEM level. This means the attacker could gain full control over the affected system, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification or deletion of critical information, and disruption of system availability.
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
This vulnerability involves an origin validation error in the Apex One NT Listener service that allows local privilege escalation. Detection would require identifying if the Apex One NT Listener service is running and if there are any suspicious local executions of low-privileged code attempting to escalate privileges.
Since exploitation requires local code execution, monitoring for unusual local process behavior or privilege escalation attempts related to the Apex One service is recommended.
Specific commands to check the status of the Apex One NT Listener service on a Windows system could include:
- sc query "Apex One NT Listener"
- tasklist /FI "IMAGENAME eq ApexOneNTListener.exe"
Additionally, reviewing event logs for privilege escalation attempts or suspicious local code execution related to Apex One may help detect exploitation attempts.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
The immediate mitigation step is to apply the security update released by Trend Micro that addresses this vulnerability in Apex One.
Since exploitation requires prior local code execution, restricting local user permissions and monitoring for unauthorized code execution can reduce risk.
Additionally, ensure that the Apex One NT Listener service is running with the least privileges necessary and consider temporarily disabling or restricting access to this service if feasible until the patch is applied.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
The vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges, which can lead to unauthorized access and potential compromise of sensitive data.
Such unauthorized access and potential data compromise could negatively impact compliance with standards and regulations like GDPR and HIPAA, which require protection of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information.
However, the provided information does not explicitly detail the direct effects on compliance with these regulations.