CVE-2025-14406 Overview
CVE-2025-14406 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Soda PDF Desktop. The flaw stems from an uncontrolled search path element [CWE-427] in the product's OpenSSL configuration handling. Soda PDF Desktop loads an OpenSSL configuration file from an unsecured location, allowing a low-privileged local attacker to plant a malicious configuration and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. The issue was reported through the Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative as ZDI-CAN-25793.
Critical Impact
A low-privileged local user can escalate to SYSTEM on affected Windows hosts running Soda PDF Desktop, gaining full control over the endpoint.
Affected Products
- Soda PDF Desktop version 14.0.509.23030
- Windows installations of Soda PDF where the OpenSSL configuration path is writable by non-administrative users
- Environments using the sodapdf soda_pdf component identified in NVD CPE data
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-12-23 - CVE-2025-14406 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-14406
Vulnerability Analysis
Soda PDF Desktop links against OpenSSL and resolves its configuration file (openssl.cnf) from a search path that includes a directory writable by unprivileged users. When a privileged Soda PDF component starts, OpenSSL reads that configuration and may load engine or provider modules referenced in it. An attacker who plants a controlled configuration file, along with a matching module DLL, forces the privileged process to load attacker code. The result is arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM, giving full local control of the host.
Root Cause
The root cause is an uncontrolled search path element [CWE-427] in how Soda PDF Desktop invokes OpenSSL. The application does not pin the OpenSSL configuration path to a protected directory such as %ProgramFiles%. Instead, OpenSSL resolves its configuration from a location that a non-administrative user can write to, breaking the trust boundary between the low-privileged attacker and the elevated process.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires local code execution as a standard user. The attacker writes a malicious openssl.cnf and a companion engine or provider DLL into the unsecured search path. When a Soda PDF component running with elevated rights initializes OpenSSL, the configuration directives cause the malicious module to load in-process. Because the injected module runs inside a SYSTEM context, the attacker achieves privilege escalation without user interaction. No verified public exploit is listed in the enriched data, and the issue is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. See the Zero Day Initiative Advisory ZDI-25-1079 for vendor and researcher-supplied technical detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-14406
Indicators of Compromise
- Presence of an openssl.cnf file in a user-writable directory referenced by Soda PDF or its OpenSSL runtime
- Unexpected engine or provider DLLs loaded by Soda PDF Desktop processes running as SYSTEM
- New or modified files under the Soda PDF installation directory or its OpenSSL search path created by non-administrative users
Detection Strategies
- Monitor process image loads for Soda PDF processes and alert on DLLs loaded from user-writable paths
- Correlate file creation events for openssl.cnf with subsequent privileged process launches of Soda PDF components
- Baseline legitimate Soda PDF child processes and flag deviations, especially cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or rundll32.exe spawned as SYSTEM
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable command-line and module-load auditing (Sysmon Event IDs 1, 7, and 11) on hosts running Soda PDF Desktop
- Forward endpoint telemetry to a centralized analytics platform and hunt for OpenSSL configuration writes by non-admin users
- Track privilege transitions where a SYSTEM-context Soda PDF process loads code originating in user profile directories
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-14406
Immediate Actions Required
- Inventory endpoints running Soda PDF Desktop version 14.0.509.23030 and prioritize them for remediation
- Restrict write permissions on directories referenced by the OpenSSL search path so only administrators can modify them
- Remove or quarantine any unauthorized openssl.cnf files or engine DLLs found in user-writable locations
- Limit interactive logon on servers and shared workstations where Soda PDF Desktop is installed
Patch Information
No vendor advisory URL is included in the enriched data. Consult the Zero Day Initiative Advisory ZDI-25-1079 and the Soda PDF vendor site for fixed-version guidance before deployment. Apply the vendor-supplied update to all affected hosts once available.
Workarounds
- Uninstall Soda PDF Desktop from systems where it is not required until a fix is applied
- Set the OPENSSL_CONF environment variable for Soda PDF service accounts to a hardened, admin-only path
- Apply an application control policy that blocks Soda PDF from loading unsigned DLLs or DLLs outside its installation directory
- Enforce least privilege so that users cannot write to any directory in the Soda PDF or OpenSSL search path
# Configuration example: restrict ACLs on the OpenSSL configuration directory (run as Administrator)
icacls "C:\Program Files\Soda PDF Desktop\ssl" /inheritance:r
icacls "C:\Program Files\Soda PDF Desktop\ssl" /grant:r "BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)F" "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)F" "BUILTIN\Users:(OI)(CI)RX"
# Pin OpenSSL configuration to an admin-only location for the service context
setx /M OPENSSL_CONF "C:\Program Files\Soda PDF Desktop\ssl\openssl.cnf"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
