CVE-2025-46715 Overview
CVE-2025-46715 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Sandboxie, the sandbox-based isolation software for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows NT operating systems. The flaw affects versions 1.3.0 through 1.15.11. The Api_GetSecureParam function fails to sanitize incoming pointers and implicitly trusts user-supplied addresses. When GetRegValue writes the contents of the selected SBIE registry entry to that address, an attacker can supply a kernel pointer and force the driver to write registry data into kernel memory. Any process on the system, including low-integrity Windows processes, can trigger this write primitive.
Critical Impact
Low-privileged local attackers, including low-integrity processes, can leverage an arbitrary kernel write primitive to escalate to SYSTEM.
Affected Products
- Sandboxie-plus Sandboxie 1.3.0 through 1.15.11 (Plus edition)
- Windows 32-bit and 64-bit installations of Sandboxie in the affected version range
- Fixed in Sandboxie 1.15.12
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-05-22 - CVE-2025-46715 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-46715
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the Sandboxie kernel driver's Api_GetSecureParam handler. The function accepts a user-supplied output pointer and calls GetRegValue to copy the contents of a selected SBIE registry entry to the destination address. The handler does not validate that the pointer lies in user-mode memory. It also does not use safe copy routines that probe the destination address. As a result, the driver performs an unchecked write on behalf of the caller. This condition is classified as an out-of-bounds write [CWE-787].
Because the driver runs in kernel context, any address the caller supplies is honored. An attacker with the ability to open a handle to the driver can direct writes to arbitrary kernel structures. The vulnerability requires local access but no elevated privileges, and no user interaction.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing pointer validation in Api_GetSecureParam. The function trusts a caller-controlled pointer and issues a write through it inside the driver's execution context. Standard mitigations such as ProbeForWrite or capturing the buffer into kernel memory before use are absent along this path.
Attack Vector
A local process opens the Sandboxie driver device and issues the IOCTL that reaches Api_GetSecureParam. The caller supplies the name of an SBIE registry parameter and a destination pointer set to a chosen kernel address. The driver reads the registry value and writes its contents to that kernel address. Attackers can select registry entries whose contents are attacker-influenceable to shape the written data, converting the primitive into privilege escalation or code execution in kernel mode. See the Sandboxie GitHub Security Advisory for further detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-46715
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected processes opening handles to the Sandboxie driver device object from outside the Sandboxie service context.
- Sandboxie driver versions below 1.15.12 present on endpoints that also run untrusted or low-integrity code.
- Kernel bugchecks or SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION crashes correlated with active Sandboxie driver load.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory installed Sandboxie versions across the fleet and flag any instance below 1.15.12.
- Monitor for non-Sandboxie processes issuing DeviceIoControl calls against the Sandboxie driver device.
- Alert on new SYSTEM-level processes or token elevations spawned from low-integrity parents shortly after Sandboxie driver activity.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable kernel driver load auditing and track loads of the Sandboxie driver on hosts where it is not expected.
- Collect and review Windows Error Reporting entries for driver faults referencing Sandboxie modules.
- Retain endpoint telemetry for process creation and handle activity to support post-incident review.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-46715
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Sandboxie Plus to version 1.15.12 or later on every affected endpoint.
- Identify hosts running Sandboxie versions 1.3.0 through 1.15.11 and prioritize them for patching.
- Restrict installation of the Sandboxie driver to systems that require it, and remove it from hosts that do not.
Patch Information
Sandboxie 1.15.12 fixes the issue by validating pointers passed to Api_GetSecureParam before the driver writes to them. Refer to the GHSA-67p9-6h73-ff7x advisory for the fix details and release notes.
Workarounds
- If patching is not immediately possible, stop and disable the Sandboxie service and driver on affected hosts.
- Limit interactive and remote local access on systems running vulnerable Sandboxie versions.
- Uninstall Sandboxie from endpoints that do not require sandboxing until the patched build is deployed.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
