Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Affected Qt applications on Windows may trust a manipulated temporary-file path. A local attacker could redirect file access toward malicious content, potentially causing unauthorized access or privilege escalation. Risk depends on whether the application uses QDir::tempPath() or related Qt temporary-file APIs.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for elevated or security-sensitive Windows applications. Schedule prompt upgrades after compatibility testing; urgency is high, but the sources do not show active exploitation or universal reachability.
Technical view
CVE-2025-4211 is a CWE-59 link-following flaw in Qt corelib's QFileSystemEngine on Windows. Use of Windows GetTempPath can permit temporary-path manipulation. Exposed APIs include QDir::tempPath(), QStandardPaths TempLocation, QTemporaryDir, and QTemporaryFile. CVSS 4.0 is 7.3.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Windows software containing affected Qt releases and using the vulnerable temporary-path functionality directly or indirectly. Affected releases include Qt through 5.15.18, 6.0.0–6.5.8, and 6.6.0–6.8.1. Application-specific reachability is not established by the sources.
Exploitation context
The CVSS vector describes a local, low-privileged attack requiring additional conditions and passive user interaction. Successful exploitation may affect confidentiality, integrity, availability, and subsequent systems. The supplied record is not in KEV, and no cited source establishes active exploitation.
Researcher notes
The flaw originates from the GetTempPath behavior associated with CVE-2024-38081, but this record covers Qt's handling. Assess API reachability, process privileges, temporary-directory controls, and downstream packaging. The supplied sources do not provide exploit prevalence or application-specific impact evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade to Qt 5.15.19, 6.5.9, 6.8.2, 6.9.0, or a later supported release.
- Inventory bundled and transitive Qt versions in Windows applications.
- Prioritize applications running elevated or handling sensitive temporary data.
- Check Qt guidance and downstream vendor advisories before deploying application updates.
Validation and detection
- Confirm the Qt version actually shipped within each Windows application.
- Identify uses of QDir::tempPath and related temporary-file APIs.
- Test updated application builds for expected temporary-file behavior.
- Verify deployed binaries no longer contain an affected Qt release.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CWE-59: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupPrivilege behavior lookup
The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2025-4211 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.3 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/S:P
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/S:P——TQtCVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
7.3HighVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/S:P
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://codereview.qt-project.org/c/qt/qtbase/+/632231CVE reference, TQtC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.