CVE-2025-53503 in Cleaner One Pro
Summary
by MITRE • 07/10/2025
Trend Micro Cleaner One Pro is vulnerable to a Privilege Escalation vulnerability that could allow a local attacker to unintentionally delete privileged Trend Micro files including its own.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-53503 affects Trend Micro Cleaner One Pro, a system optimization and cleaning tool designed to remove unnecessary files and optimize system performance. This particular flaw represents a critical privilege escalation vulnerability that undermines the security model of the application by allowing local attackers to gain elevated system privileges beyond what is normally permitted. The vulnerability exists within the application's file handling and permission management mechanisms, creating an exploitable condition that could be leveraged by malicious actors with local system access.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's improper handling of file operations and privilege management during cleanup processes. When Trend Micro Cleaner One Pro executes its cleaning routines, it fails to adequately validate or restrict file access permissions for certain system-critical files. This oversight allows an attacker with local user privileges to manipulate the application's behavior in such a way that it inadvertently executes commands or operations with elevated privileges. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's ability to distinguish between user-accessible files and protected system files, creating a scenario where privileged operations can be performed without proper authorization. This issue aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper file permissions and inadequate access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this privilege escalation vulnerability is significant for systems running Trend Micro Cleaner One Pro, as it creates a potential attack vector for local adversaries to escalate their privileges and gain unauthorized access to system resources. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to delete critical Trend Micro system files, potentially causing application instability or complete system compromise. The ability to unintentionally delete privileged files represents a serious concern because it could disrupt legitimate system operations while simultaneously providing attackers with means to persist in compromised systems. This vulnerability could be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where system integrity and security are paramount, as it could enable attackers to undermine security controls and gain deeper access to network resources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-53503 should focus on immediate patching of the affected Trend Micro Cleaner One Pro application, as well as implementing additional security controls to limit local user privileges and monitor file access operations. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify systems running the vulnerable software and ensure all patches are deployed promptly. The implementation of principle of least privilege access controls and regular monitoring of file system changes can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized file operations and maintain detailed audit logs of system file modifications. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper privilege management in security applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through improper file permissions and access controls.