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NVDA may launch with administrative privileges after installation

Moderate
seanbudd published GHSA-cq78-fjp7-3rp5 Mar 10, 2026

Package

No package listed

Affected versions

<2025.3.3

Patched versions

2025.3.3

Description

Summary

NVDA may unintentionally launch with administrative privileges immediately after installation. This is a privilege escalation issue. If an attacker gains access to the elevated instance, they can exploit this within the python console of NVDA while it is running with elevated privileges. From there they could gain unauthorised access to the local system. This issue is limited to the first launch of NVDA following installation and only occurs when the installer is executed from an already elevated command prompt.

Patch commit(s)

1a9a5e8

Limitations

The vulnerability is triggered only when:

  • The NVDA installer is executed from an elevated command prompt.
  • It is the first launch of NVDA immediately following installation.
  • Subsequent launches of new instances of NVDA (ie not restarting the same instance of NVDA), will run with standard user privileges as expected.

Technical details

Proof of concept

  1. Open an elevated command prompt.
  2. Install NVDA (any recent version including alpha installers are likely affected).
  3. During installation, check the license box and choose "Install on this computer".
  4. Complete the installation process.
  5. Press "OK" to launch NVDA after installation.
  6. NVDA will launch and run with administrative privileges. You can verify this using Task Manager by checking the "Elevated" column for the NVDA process, or using other process explorer tools.

Indicators of compromise

While not strictly indicators of compromise, administrators should be aware that if NVDA was installed from an elevated command prompt, the initial NVDA process launched immediately after installation will be running with elevated privileges. To ensure NVDA is running with expected user privileges, verify that NVDA processes are not marked as "Elevated" in Task Manager.

Workarounds

  • Recommended: Avoid installing NVDA from an elevated command prompt. Install NVDA by running the installer directly from a standard user session (e.g., by double-clicking the installer file downloaded in a web browser).
  • If NVDA has already been installed from an elevated command prompt and is running with elevated privileges, shut down NVDA completely (NVDA menu -> Exit). Then, launch NVDA again through the standard user interface (e.g., from the Start Menu or desktop shortcut). Do not restart NVDA as the restart functionality may preserve the elevated state. Launching a fresh instance after shutdown will ensure NVDA runs with standard user privileges.

Timeline

  • Reported: 2025/01/28
  • Acknowledged by NV Access: 30/1/2025
  • Fix released - NVDA 2025.3.3: 2026-02-16

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v4 base metrics

Exploitability Metrics
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity High
Attack Requirements Present
Privileges Required High
User interaction Passive
Vulnerable System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality High
Integrity High
Availability High
Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality None
Integrity None
Availability None

CVSS v4 base metrics

Exploitability Metrics
Attack Vector: This metric reflects the context by which vulnerability exploitation is possible. This metric value (and consequently the resulting severity) will be larger the more remote (logically, and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerable system. The assumption is that the number of potential attackers for a vulnerability that could be exploited from across a network is larger than the number of potential attackers that could exploit a vulnerability requiring physical access to a device, and therefore warrants a greater severity.
Attack Complexity: This metric captures measurable actions that must be taken by the attacker to actively evade or circumvent existing built-in security-enhancing conditions in order to obtain a working exploit. These are conditions whose primary purpose is to increase security and/or increase exploit engineering complexity. A vulnerability exploitable without a target-specific variable has a lower complexity than a vulnerability that would require non-trivial customization. This metric is meant to capture security mechanisms utilized by the vulnerable system.
Attack Requirements: This metric captures the prerequisite deployment and execution conditions or variables of the vulnerable system that enable the attack. These differ from security-enhancing techniques/technologies (ref Attack Complexity) as the primary purpose of these conditions is not to explicitly mitigate attacks, but rather, emerge naturally as a consequence of the deployment and execution of the vulnerable system.
Privileges Required: This metric describes the level of privileges an attacker must possess prior to successfully exploiting the vulnerability. The method by which the attacker obtains privileged credentials prior to the attack (e.g., free trial accounts), is outside the scope of this metric. Generally, self-service provisioned accounts do not constitute a privilege requirement if the attacker can grant themselves privileges as part of the attack.
User interaction: This metric captures the requirement for a human user, other than the attacker, to participate in the successful compromise of the vulnerable system. This metric determines whether the vulnerability can be exploited solely at the will of the attacker, or whether a separate user (or user-initiated process) must participate in some manner.
Vulnerable System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality: This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information managed by the VULNERABLE SYSTEM due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
Integrity: This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information. Integrity of the VULNERABLE SYSTEM is impacted when an attacker makes unauthorized modification of system data. Integrity is also impacted when a system user can repudiate critical actions taken in the context of the system (e.g. due to insufficient logging).
Availability: This metric measures the impact to the availability of the VULNERABLE SYSTEM resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. While the Confidentiality and Integrity impact metrics apply to the loss of confidentiality or integrity of data (e.g., information, files) used by the system, this metric refers to the loss of availability of the impacted system itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of a system.
Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality: This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information managed by the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
Integrity: This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information. Integrity of the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM is impacted when an attacker makes unauthorized modification of system data. Integrity is also impacted when a system user can repudiate critical actions taken in the context of the system (e.g. due to insufficient logging).
Availability: This metric measures the impact to the availability of the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. While the Confidentiality and Integrity impact metrics apply to the loss of confidentiality or integrity of data (e.g., information, files) used by the system, this metric refers to the loss of availability of the impacted system itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of a system.
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:H/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

CVE ID

No known CVE

Weaknesses

No CWEs