CVE-2025-62186
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands on Windows systems by crafting malicious shared Anki decks that trigger command execution when audio is played. It affects Anki users on Windows who import shared decks from untrusted sources. The issue stems from improper handling of URL schemes in audio playback functionality.
💻 Affected Systems
- Anki
📦 What is this software?
Anki by Ankitects
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise with attacker gaining remote code execution capabilities, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Limited command execution in user context when victim imports and uses a malicious shared deck, potentially leading to credential theft or malware installation.
If Mitigated
No impact if users only import decks from trusted sources and have updated to patched version.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires social engineering to distribute malicious decks and user interaction to trigger audio playback. No public exploit code available at disclosure.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 25.02.5
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/ankitects/anki/releases/tag/25.02.5
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Open Anki application
2. Go to Help > Check for Updates
3. Follow prompts to update to version 25.02.5 or later
4. Alternatively, download and install latest version from official website
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Avoid untrusted shared decks
allOnly import decks from trusted sources and verify deck contents before use
Disable audio playback for untrusted decks
allReview deck settings and disable audio playback for decks from unknown sources
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Use Anki on Linux or macOS instead of Windows
- Run Anki in a sandboxed environment or virtual machine
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Anki version in Help > About. If version is earlier than 25.02.5 and running on Windows, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows command line: ""C:\Program Files\Anki\anki.exe" --version" or check in application Help menuVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm version is 25.02.5 or later in Help > About dialog.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual process execution from Anki context
- Audio playback errors with unusual URLs
- Deck import from unknown sources
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound connections from Anki process
- Downloads from unusual deck sharing sites
SIEM Query:
Process creation where parent_process contains 'anki' AND (command_line contains 'cmd' OR command_line contains 'powershell' OR command_line contains unusual URL schemes)