CVE-2025-15310: Tanium Patch Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-15310 Overview

CVE-2025-15310 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Tanium Patch Endpoint Tools. This security flaw, classified under CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access), allows a local attacker with low privileges to escalate their permissions to gain full control over the affected system. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of symbolic links, enabling attackers to manipulate file operations performed by the privileged Tanium service.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation allows local attackers to escalate privileges from a low-privileged user account to full system control, potentially compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the endpoint.

Affected Products

• Tanium Patch Endpoint Tools (versions prior to patched release)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-10 - CVE-2025-15310 published to NVD
• 2026-02-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-15310

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents a symlink attack (CWE-59) in Tanium Patch Endpoint Tools. The flaw exists due to improper link resolution before file access operations. When the Tanium Patch Endpoint Tools service performs file operations with elevated privileges, it fails to properly validate whether the target path contains symbolic links that could redirect operations to unintended locations.

The attack requires local access and low-level privileges on the target system, but does not require user interaction. An attacker can craft malicious symbolic links that redirect privileged file operations performed by the Tanium service to arbitrary locations on the filesystem, resulting in unauthorized modifications or privilege escalation.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the failure to properly resolve and validate symbolic links before performing privileged file operations. The Tanium Patch Endpoint Tools service does not implement adequate checks to ensure that file paths being accessed are not symbolic links pointing to sensitive system files or directories. This improper link resolution allows attackers to abuse the trust placed in the service's elevated permissions.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local, requiring an attacker to have an existing foothold on the target system with at least low-level privileges. The exploitation process typically involves:

1. The attacker identifies a file operation performed by the Tanium Patch Endpoint Tools service with elevated privileges
2. The attacker creates a symbolic link in a location accessible to them that points to a sensitive system file
3. When the privileged service performs its file operation, it follows the symlink and inadvertently modifies or creates files in the attacker-controlled destination
4. The attacker leverages this behavior to escalate privileges, potentially gaining SYSTEM-level access on Windows endpoints

The vulnerability manifests through improper file handling in the patching workflow. For detailed technical information, refer to the Tanium Security Advisory TAN-2025-001.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-15310

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected symbolic links created in Tanium installation directories or temporary working folders
• Unusual file modifications by the Tanium service process to locations outside normal operational paths
• Evidence of privilege escalation attempts from accounts with access to Tanium-managed directories

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for symbolic link creation events in directories used by Tanium Patch Endpoint Tools
• Implement file integrity monitoring on critical system files that could be targeted via symlink redirection
• Audit process execution chains originating from compromised user accounts that suddenly gain elevated privileges

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for Tanium Patch Endpoint Tools operations and review for anomalous file access patterns
• Configure endpoint detection to alert on symbolic link creation by non-administrative users in system directories
• Implement behavioral analysis to detect privilege escalation attempts following symlink manipulation

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-15310

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the security patch referenced in Tanium Security Advisory TAN-2025-001 immediately
• Audit systems for any evidence of exploitation, including unexpected symbolic links in Tanium-related directories
• Restrict user permissions to prevent creation of symbolic links in sensitive directories where possible
• Monitor affected endpoints for suspicious privilege escalation activity

Patch Information

Tanium has released a security patch to address this vulnerability. Organizations should consult the Tanium Security Advisory TAN-2025-001 for specific patch details and updated software versions. The patch implements proper symbolic link validation and resolution checks before performing privileged file operations.

Workarounds

• Implement strict file system permissions to limit which users can create symbolic links in directories accessed by Tanium services
• Apply the principle of least privilege to reduce the number of accounts that could potentially exploit this vulnerability
• Consider implementing application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized execution of escalated processes
• Use endpoint protection solutions with behavioral monitoring to detect and block privilege escalation attempts