CVE-2025-54948
CVE-2025-54948 is a security flaw in Trend Micro Apex One, business antivirus software. Attackers can run commands on Trend Micro Apex One from anywhere, without logging in. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 18 Aug 2025.[1]
Trend Micro Apex One is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Fixed in version 14.0.0.14039 of Trend Micro Apex One.
Description
CISA calls it an OS command injection in Trend Micro Apex One. In its words: “Trend Micro Apex One Management Console (on-premise) contains an OS command injection vulnerability that could allow a pre-authenticated remote attacker to upload malicious code and execute commands on affected installations.”[1]
The underlying weakness is OS command injection (CWE-78), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.[2]
It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record lists one fixed version: everything before it is affected.[2]
| Product | Fixed in |
|---|---|
| Trend Micro Apex One | 14.0.0.14039 |
Most families won’t have Trend Micro Apex One; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 18 Aug 2025, 13 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 8 Sep 2025 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 25%. That’s in the top 3% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Trend Micro has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Trend Micro Apex One is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed (fixed in version 14.0.0.14039 of Trend Micro Apex One), or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 8 Sep 2025 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 25%.[4] |
See also
Other Trend Micro Apex One flaws
- CVE-2026-34926: (on-premise) directory traversal ·
Other Trend Micro flaws
- CVE-2023-41179, Trend Micro Apex One and Worry-Free Business Security: remote code execution ·
- CVE-2022-40139, Trend Micro Apex One and Apex One as a Service: improper validation ·
- CVE-2022-26871, Trend Micro Apex Central: arbitrary file upload ·
- CVE-2021-36742, Trend Micro Apex One, Apex One as a Service, and Worry-Free Business Security: multiple products improper input validation ·
- CVE-2021-36741, Trend Micro Apex One, Apex One as a Service, and Worry-Free Business Security: multiple products improper input validation ·
Other OS command injection flaws
- CVE-2026-110447, Collabora Online – Built-in CODE Server: online – built-in CODE server OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-106931, EG Secure Solutions SiteGuard Server Edition: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-83549, SonicWall SMA1000 Appliances: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-49869, Kestra OSS: OSS OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-73570, Synacor Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS): OS command injection ·
Every Trend Micro flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in August 2025
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Trend Micro Apex One OS Command Injection Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 18 Aug 2025.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2025-54948 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 5 Aug 2025.
- ^ Trend Micro. Advisories and fixes: success.trendmicro.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.254, percentile 97.9, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2025-54948”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.