CVE-2025-2600 Overview
CVE-2025-2600 is an improper authorization vulnerability [CWE-285] in the variable component of Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager (RDM) on Windows. An authenticated user can invoke the ELEVATED_PASSWORD variable even when the administrator-configured "Allow password in variable" policy prohibits it. The flaw affects Remote Desktop Manager versions from 2025.1.24 through 2025.1.25, and all versions up to 2024.3.29. Devolutions published the issue in advisory DEVO-2025-0005 on March 26, 2025.
Critical Impact
Authenticated users can bypass password variable restrictions and reference elevated credentials through the ELEVATED_PASSWORD variable, defeating a control intended to prevent credential exposure in variable substitutions.
Affected Products
- Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager (Free edition) on Windows, versions 2025.1.24 through 2025.1.25
- Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager (Team edition) on Windows, versions 2025.1.24 through 2025.1.25
- Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager on Windows, all versions up to and including 2024.3.29
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-03-26 - CVE-2025-2600 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-2600
Vulnerability Analysis
Remote Desktop Manager supports variable substitution across entries and sessions, allowing values such as credentials to be referenced by name at runtime. Administrators can enforce an "Allow password in variable" policy to prevent password material from being used through the variable subsystem. The vulnerability stems from an incomplete enforcement of that policy for the ELEVATED_PASSWORD variable.
The variable component fails to authorize the use of ELEVATED_PASSWORD against the configured policy. An authenticated user can reference the elevated password variable in workflows that would otherwise be blocked, weakening the control that separates standard from elevated credentials. Exploitation requires authenticated access and user interaction, and it primarily undermines confidentiality of the elevated credential.
Root Cause
The root cause is a missing authorization check [CWE-285] in the variable resolver path that handles ELEVATED_PASSWORD. The policy engine that governs password-bearing variables does not evaluate this specific variable, so administrator restrictions do not apply consistently across all password-carrying variables.
Attack Vector
An authenticated Remote Desktop Manager user with access to a data source containing an elevated password constructs or edits an entry that references ELEVATED_PASSWORD through variable substitution. Because the policy check is skipped, the variable resolves to the elevated credential value at runtime. The credential can then be routed into command lines, session parameters, or other fields that expose or reuse it. See the Devolutions Security Advisory DEVO-2025-0005 for vendor detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-2600
Indicators of Compromise
- Remote Desktop Manager entries or templates that contain the string $ELEVATED_PASSWORD$ or equivalent variable syntax on hosts running affected versions.
- Audit log entries showing variable-substituted sessions launched by users who should be blocked by the "Allow password in variable" policy.
- Unexpected use of elevated credentials in command line, connection string, or macro fields within RDM entries.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory installed Remote Desktop Manager versions across Windows endpoints and flag any instance in the affected version ranges.
- Search RDM data sources for entries whose parameters reference the ELEVATED_PASSWORD variable and correlate with the policy configuration.
- Review Devolutions audit and activity logs for elevated credential retrievals initiated by non-privileged users.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable and centralize Remote Desktop Manager audit logging to a SIEM for continuous review of credential and variable usage.
- Alert on process launches from RemoteDesktopManager.exe that spawn administrative tools with credentials passed on the command line.
- Track configuration drift of the "Allow password in variable" policy across data sources and vaults.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-2600
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager on Windows to a fixed release as specified in advisory DEVO-2025-0005.
- Identify and remediate any existing entries that reference the ELEVATED_PASSWORD variable in violation of policy.
- Rotate elevated credentials that may have been referenced through the variable subsystem while affected versions were in use.
Patch Information
Devolutions addressed the improper authorization defect in Remote Desktop Manager releases published after 2025.1.25. Administrators should consult the Devolutions Security Advisory DEVO-2025-0005 for the exact fixed version and deployment guidance for Windows clients.
Workarounds
- Restrict access to data sources that contain elevated credentials until all clients are updated to a fixed version.
- Enforce role-based permissions in the RDM data source so standard users cannot view, edit, or execute entries that reference elevated credentials.
- Audit shared vaults and templates to remove any references to the ELEVATED_PASSWORD variable prior to remediation.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
