CVE-2025-7012 Cato Networks Linux Client Local Privilege Escalation via Symlink
A local attacker can escalate privileges to root in the Cato Networks Linux Client by exploiting improper symbolic link handling.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2025-7012?
CVE-2025-7012 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cato Client, published on 13 Jul 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
An issue in Cato Networks' CatoClient for Linux, before version 5.5, allows a local attacker to escalate privileges to root by exploiting improper symbolic link handling.
Weakness: CWE-59
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-7012?
How do I fix CVE-2025-7012?
No fix has been published for CVE-2025-7012 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.
Is CVE-2025-7012 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-7012 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-pxpx-75qh-g8x5.