# CVE-2025-14406: Soda PDF Desktop Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

> Local attackers can escalate privileges to SYSTEM by exploiting an uncontrolled search path in Soda PDF Desktop's OpenSSL configuration loading.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 31 Dec 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-78w4-pwpr-qchm

## What is CVE-2025-14406?

CVE-2025-14406 is a high-severity vulnerability in Soda PDF Desktop, published on 23 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Soda PDF Desktop Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Soda PDF Desktop. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.

The specific flaw exists within the configuration of OpenSSL. The product loads an OpenSSL configuration file from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-25793.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-14406?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sodapdf Soda Pdf.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-14406?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-14406 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-14406 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-14406 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Soda PDF Desktop

- [CVE-2025-14409](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14409/): Soda PDF Desktop PDF File Parsing Out-Of-Bounds Write Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2025-14412](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14412/): Soda PDF Desktop XLS File Insufficient UI Warning Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2025-14415](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14415/): Soda PDF Desktop Launch Insufficient UI Warning Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 7.0)
- [CVE-2025-14407](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14407/): Soda PDF Desktop PDF File Parsing Memory Corruption Information Disclosure Vulnerability (low 3.3)
- [CVE-2025-14408](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14408/): Soda PDF Desktop PDF File Parsing Out-Of-Bounds Read Information Disclosure Vulnerability (low 3.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-14406 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-14406 is a high-severity vulnerability in Soda PDF Desktop, published on 23 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-14406 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Soda PDF Desktop. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14406/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14406/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-14406
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-14406
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-14406

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14406/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.