Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-25143

Trendmicro Apex One ≤ 14.0.11960

Published
10 March 2023
Modified
05 March 2025
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.017 76th percentile
Risk Priority 78 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-25143 is a critical-severity Uncontrolled Search Path Element (CWE-427) vulnerability in Trendmicro Apex One. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Path Interception (T1034); ranked in the top 24% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

An uncontrolled search path element vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-25143 and assigned CWE-427, affects the installer component of Trend Micro Apex One Server. The flaw carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8 and permits remote code execution on affected installations when an attacker supplies a malicious executable in an uncontrolled search path.

Because the vulnerability is exploitable over the network with no authentication or user interaction required, an unauthenticated remote attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution with full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact on the target server. Successful exploitation grants the attacker the ability to run code in the context of the installer process, potentially leading to complete compromise of the Apex One Server.

Trend Micro has published mitigation guidance in solution article 000292209, which addresses the affected installer. The EPSS score for this CVE rose from a low baseline to a peak of 0.0618 before receding to its current value of 0.0194, indicating a temporary increase in observed exploitation interest after disclosure.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A08:2025 Software or Data Integrity Failures

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

An uncontrolled search path element vulnerability in the Trend Micro Apex One Server installer could allow an attacker to achieve a remote code execution state on affected products.

CWE(s)
CWE-427

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1034 Path Interception Persistence
**This technique has been deprecated.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.007 Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking environment variables used to load libraries.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.008 Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking the search order used to load other programs.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574 Hijack Execution Flow Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking the way operating systems run programs.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.001 DLL Stealth
Adversaries may abuse dynamic-link library files (DLLs) in order to achieve persistence, escalate privileges, and evade defenses.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.004 Dylib Hijacking Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own payloads by placing a malicious dynamic library (dylib) with an expected name in a path a victim application searches at runtime.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-25147Same product: Microsoft Windows
CVE-2023-34144Same product: Microsoft Windows
CVE-2023-34145Same product: Microsoft Windows
CVE-2025-49487Same product: Microsoft Windows
CVE-2024-23940Same product: Microsoft Windows
CVE-2025-49155Same product: Trendmicro Apex One
CVE-2025-49158Same product: Trendmicro Apex One
CVE-2023-32555Same product: Microsoft Windows
CVE-2023-32554Same product: Microsoft Windows
CVE-2023-28929Same product: Microsoft Windows

Affected Assets

trendmicro
apex one
2019 · ≤ 14.0.11960

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 2 hardening rules · 1 OS baseline
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

—

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure-development practices directly address design of search paths and resource loading.

PR.PS-01 partial match
prevents

Hardened configuration baselines can enforce safe search-path settings and reduce exposure.

PR.PS-05 partial match
prevents

Execution allow-listing can block malicious binaries placed in hijackable search locations.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing can detect uncontrolled search-path issues but does not prevent them by itself.

A.8.19 Installation of software on operational systems partial match
mitigates

Restricting software installation reduces the chance that an attacker-controlled path element is introduced into the search path.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
mitigates

Secure system architecture and engineering principles require explicit control over search paths and resource locations.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding practices directly address the use of fixed or controlled search paths that can be influenced by unintended actors.

A.8.9 Configuration management partial match
prevents

Configuration management can enforce approved search-path settings but does not inherently prevent the weakness.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248577 OL 8 must enable kernel parameters to enforce Discretionary Access Control (DAC) on symlinks. prevents CWE-427

References