Vulnerability Description
A broken access control vulnerability exists in Serv-U which when exploited, gives a malicious actor the ability to create a system admin user and execute arbitrary code as a privileged account via domain admin or group admin privileges. This issue requires administrative privileges to abuse. On Windows deployments, the risk is scored as a medium because services frequently run under less-privileged service accounts by default.
CVSS Score
CRITICAL
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Solarwinds | Serv-U | < 15.5.4 |
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://documentation.solarwinds.com/en/success_center/servu/content/release_notRelease NotesVendor Advisory
- https://www.solarwinds.com/trust-center/security-advisories/CVE-2025-40538Vendor Advisory
FAQ
What is CVE-2025-40538?
CVE-2025-40538 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.1 (CRITICAL). A broken access control vulnerability exists in Serv-U which when exploited, gives a malicious actor the ability to create a system admin user and execute arbitrary code as a privileged account via do...
How severe is CVE-2025-40538?
CVE-2025-40538 has been rated CRITICAL with a CVSS base score of 9.1/10. This is considered a critical vulnerability requiring immediate attention.
Is there a patch for CVE-2025-40538?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Affected products include: Solarwinds Serv-U.