# CVE-2025-5191: Unquoted Search Path Vulnerability in the Utility for Industrial Computers (Windows)

> Local attackers can escalate privileges to SYSTEM by placing a malicious executable in an unquoted search path directory.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`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`)
- **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:** 25 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 25 Aug 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x9r8-77rv-89rp

## What is CVE-2025-5191?

CVE-2025-5191 is a high-severity vulnerability in Moxa Utility for DRP-A100 Series, published on 25 Aug 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An Unquoted Search Path vulnerability has been identified in the utility for Moxa’s industrial computers (Windows). Due to the unquoted path configuration in the SerialInterfaceService.exe utility, a local attacker with limited privileges could place a malicious executable in a higher-priority directory within the search path. When the Serial Interface service starts, the malicious executable could be run with SYSTEM privileges. Successful exploitation could allow privilege escalation or enable an attacker to maintain persistence on the affected system. While successful exploitation can severely impact the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected device itself, there is no loss of confidentiality, integrity, or availability within any subsequent systems.

Weakness: CWE-428 (Unquoted Search Path or Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-5191?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-5191?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-5191 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-5191 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-5191 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-5191 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-5191 is a high-severity vulnerability in Moxa Utility for DRP-A100 Series, published on 25 Aug 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-2025-5191 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Moxa Utility for DRP-A100 Series. 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-2025-5191/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-5191/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-5191
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-5191
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-5191

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-5191/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.