CVE-2025-40538: SolarWinds Serv-U Broken Access Control Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Published Feb 24, 2026
·
Updated

A broken access control vulnerability exists in Serv-U which when exploited, gives a malicious actor the ability to create a system admin user and execute arbitrary code as a privileged account via domain admin or group admin privileges.

This issue requires administrative privileges to abuse. On Windows deployments, the risk is scored as a medium because services frequently run under less-privileged service accounts by default.

Affected Software

2 affected components
SolarWinds Serv-U
SolarWinds Serv-U<15.5.4

Remediation

Information

SolarWinds recommends that customers upgrade to SolarWinds Serv-U 15.5.4 as soon as it becomes available.

Event History

Feb 24, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·07:40 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·07:40 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·08:16 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
News Published
via BleepingComputer·01:00 PM
News Published
via BleepingComputer·01:02 PM
News Published
via The Register·07:55 PM
News Published
via The Register·07:57 PM
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2025-40538?

CVE-2025-40538 is classified as a critical vulnerability due to its potential for remote code execution.

2

How do I fix CVE-2025-40538?

To fix CVE-2025-40538, update to the latest version of SolarWinds Serv-U that addresses this vulnerability.

3

What types of access does CVE-2025-40538 affect?

CVE-2025-40538 affects access controls, allowing unauthorized users to gain admin privileges.

4

Who is affected by CVE-2025-40538?

Organizations using SolarWinds Serv-U are affected by CVE-2025-40538, particularly those with insecure configurations.

5

What could an attacker do by exploiting CVE-2025-40538?

An attacker exploiting CVE-2025-40538 can create a system admin user and execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.

Contact

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