# CVE-2025-43715: Race condition in Nullsoft Scriptable Install System

> Local attackers can escalate privileges to SYSTEM by winning a race condition in the temporary plugins directory during NSIS installation.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Apr 2025
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2025-43715, GHSA-g9m2-7jc6-pmvf, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-43715

## What is CVE-2025-43715?

CVE-2025-43715 is a high-severity vulnerability in Nullsoft Scriptable Install System, published on 17 Apr 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Nullsoft Scriptable Install System (NSIS) before 3.11 on Windows allows local users to escalate privileges to SYSTEM during an installation, because the temporary plugins directory is created under %WINDIR%\temp and unprivileged users can place a crafted executable file by winning a race condition. This occurs because EW_CREATEDIR does not always set the CreateRestrictedDirectory error flag.

Weakness: CWE-754 (Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-43715?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-43715?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2025-43715 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-43715 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-43715 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-43715 is a high-severity vulnerability in Nullsoft Scriptable Install System, published on 17 Apr 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-2025-43715 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Nullsoft Scriptable Install System. 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-2025-43715/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-43715/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-43715
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-43715
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-43715

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-43715/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.