Citrix Windows Virtual Delivery Agent Vulnerability Let Attackers Gain SYSTEM Privileges

A critical security vulnerability has been discovered in Citrix Windows Virtual Delivery Agent that allows local attackers to escalate privileges and gain SYSTEM-level access to affected systems. 

The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-6759, affects multiple versions of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and Citrix DaaS platforms, posing significant risks to enterprise environments relying on these virtualization solutions.

Key Takeaways
1. CVE-2025-6759 allows local users to escalate to SYSTEM privileges in Citrix Windows Virtual Delivery Agent with a high-severity CVSS score of 7.3.
2. Affected versions include Current Release builds before 2503 and 2402 LTSR CU2/earlier, while 2203 LTSR is unaffected.
3. Fixes available in version 2503+ for Current Release and specific hotfix updates for 2402 LTSR CU1/CU2.
4. Temporary workaround involves disabling CtxExceptionHandler via registry edit if immediate patching isn't possible.

Local Privilege Escalation Flaw (CVE-2025-6759)

The CVE-2025-6759 vulnerability represents a local privilege escalation flaw that enables low-privileged users to gain SYSTEM privileges on affected systems. 

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management) and carries a CVSS v4.0 Base Score of 7.3, indicating high severity with the vector string CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N.

The attack vector requires local access to the target system, meaning attackers must already have some form of access to the machine before exploiting this vulnerability. 

However, once exploited, the vulnerability provides complete system compromise, granting attackers the highest level of privileges possible on Windows systems. 

This level of access allows attackers to install software, access sensitive data, create new accounts with full user rights, and potentially move laterally within the network.

The vulnerability’s technical root cause lies in improper privilege management within the Virtual Delivery Agent component, which fails to validate and restrict privilege escalation attempts from lower-privileged users properly.

The vulnerability specifically impacts Windows Virtual Delivery Agent for single-session OS used by Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and Citrix DaaS. 

The affected versions include Current Release (CR) versions of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops before 2503, and Long Term Service Release (LTSR) versions, including Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 2402 LTSR CU2 and earlier versions of 2402 LTSR.

Notably, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 2203 LTSR is not affected by this vulnerability, providing some relief for organizations using this specific version. 

Mitigation Strategies

Citrix strongly recommends immediate upgrading to patched versions. For Current Release deployments, organizations should upgrade to Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 2503 or later versions. 

LTSR customers should install specific updates: Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 2402 LTSR CU1 Update 1 (CTX694848) and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 2402 LTSR CU2 Update 1 (CTX694849).

Organizations unable to upgrade immediately can implement a temporary workaround by modifying the Windows registry. 

The mitigation involves setting the registry key [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARECitrixCtxExceptionHandler] with “Enabled”=dword:00000000. 

This registry modification can be deployed using Citrix Workspace Environment Management for centralized management across multiple systems.

Additional deployment options include using Citrix provisioning services or Machine creation services for non-persistent Virtual Delivery Agents, and the VDA Upgrade Service (VUS) for persistent deployments, providing multiple pathways for organizations to address this critical vulnerability.

Learn what managed security services really cost and how to avoid overpaying for limited protection => Download Guide