Privilege escalation in Rapid7 Velociraptor Admin.Client.UpdateClientConfig artifact
CVE-2025-6264 is an incorrect default permissions flaw in Rapid7 Velociraptor affecting versions before 0.74.3 on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Velociraptor allows VQL queries to be packaged as Artifacts and executed on endpoints, often with elevated privileges. The built-in artifact Admin.Client.UpdateClientConfig, which is used to update client configuration, failed to enforce an additional high-risk permission check. As a result, a user who only had COLLECT_CLIENT permission—typically available to the Investigator role—could collect this artifact from an endpoint and modify the client configuration. Because artifact execution can perform privileged actions, abuse of this artifact can be leveraged to execute arbitrary commands and seize control of the endpoint.
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Impact, mitigation & remediation
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Impact
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Remediation
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Exploits
1 valid exploit after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos.
This repository is a small operational helper for exploiting CVE-2025-6264 in Velociraptor. It is not a full exploit against the vulnerable artifact itself; instead, it automates attacker infrastructure setup needed to abuse the missing permission checks in Admin.Client.UpdateClientConfig. The repository contains two files: a README describing the vulnerability and attack flow, and a single Bash script, 2025-6264_setup.sh, which is the main entry point. The script installs Velociraptor v0.75.6 on a Linux host, generates a fresh server configuration, modifies the frontend bind address from 127.0.0.1 to 0.0.0.0, builds and installs the server .deb package, creates an administrator account with hardcoded credentials admin/admin, and extracts the Client section from the generated server config into a standalone client.config.yaml. It then replaces the default https://localhost:8000/ URL with the host's detected local IP so redirected clients will connect back to the attacker-controlled server. Operationally, the exploit capability is client redirection and takeover preparation: the generated YAML contains the CA certificate, nonce, and server URL needed to reconfigure vulnerable Velociraptor clients. Per the README, an attacker with Investigator-level access can insert this YAML into the vulnerable Admin.Client.UpdateClientConfig artifact, causing endpoints to rekey and reconnect to the malicious server. The script also supports a --client-only mode for environments where Velociraptor is already installed, in which case it only emits the client configuration. There is no standalone vulnerability trigger code in the repository; the actual abuse of the vulnerable artifact is assumed to be performed manually by the operator. Still, the repository clearly supports real exploitation by provisioning the malicious server and producing the exact configuration payload required for endpoint hijacking.
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Recent activity
36 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.
An incorrect default permissions issue in Rapid7's Velociraptor DFIR tool that could enable persistence in ransomware intrusions and was discussed in the context of tool abuse for remote access/C2.
A privilege escalation vulnerability affecting Velociraptor (noted in the context of attackers deploying an outdated agent version).
An incorrect default permissions vulnerability in Velociraptor that was removed from the KEV catalog due to insufficient evidence of exploitation.
A privilege escalation vulnerability affecting Velociraptor (noted specifically in version 0.73.4) that could be leveraged post-compromise to increase privileges and facilitate endpoint takeover or further actions.
The version that knows your environment.
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Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.
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