Weakness (CWE)
CWE-426: Untrusted Search Path
The product searches for critical resources using an externally-supplied search path that can point to resources that are not under the product's direct control.
More detail
Some of the most common variants of untrusted search path are:
- In various UNIX and Linux-based systems, the PATH environment variable may be consulted to locate executable programs, and LD_PRELOAD may be used to locate a separate library. Programming languages may have their own paths for locating code, e.g. PERL5LIB in Perl.
- In various Microsoft-based systems, the PATH environment variable is consulted to locate a DLL, if the DLL is not found in other paths that appear earlier in the search order.
How to prevent it (5 mitigations)
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Architecture and Design, Implementation
Hard-code the search path to a set of known-safe values (such as system directories), or only allow them to be specified by the administrator in a configuration file. Do not allow these settings to be modified by an external party. Be careful to avoid related weaknesses such as CWE-426 and CWE-428.
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Implementation
When invoking other programs, specify those programs using fully-qualified pathnames. While this is an effective approach, code that uses fully-qualified pathnames might not be portable to other systems that do not use the same pathnames. The portability can be improved by locating the full-qualified paths in a centralized, easily-modifiable location within the source code, and having the code refer to these paths.
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Implementation
Remove or restrict all environment settings before invoking other programs. This includes the PATH environment variable, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, and other settings that identify the location of code libraries, and any application-specific search paths.
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Implementation
Check your search path before use and remove any elements that are likely to be unsafe, such as the current working directory or a temporary files directory.
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Implementation
Use other functions that require explicit paths. Making use of any of the other readily available functions that require explicit paths is a safe way to avoid this problem. For example, system() in C does not require a full path since the shell can take care of it, while execl() and execv() require a full path.
Source: MITRE CWE-426
260 results · Clear filters · Feed
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High 7.8
Privilege Ecalation due to Untrusted Search Path Vulnerability
A maliciously crafted binary file when downloaded could lead to escalation of privileges to NT AUTHORITY/SYSTEM due to an untrusted search path being utilized in the Autodesk Installer application. Exploitation of this vulnerability may lead to code execution.
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High 8.4
DLL Hijacking in Yandex Telemost
Yandex Telemost for Desktop before 2.7.0 has a DLL Hijacking Vulnerability because an untrusted search path is used.
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High 7.8
An untrusted search path vulnerability was reported in Lenovo PC Manager that could allow a local attacker to elevate p…
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High 7.0
Wondershare Filmora Installer NFWCHK.exe uncontrolled search path
A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Wondershare Filmora 14.5.16. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality in the library CRYPTBASE.dll of the file NFWCHK.exe of the component Installer. The manipulation leads to un…
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High 7.0
Sangfor 零信任访问控制系统 aTrust MSASN1.dll uncontrolled search path
A vulnerability has been found in Sangfor 零信任访问控制系统 aTrust 2.3.10.60 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality in the library MSASN1.dll. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. Local access is required…
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High 8.5CVE-2025-4971 Public exploit
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Broadcom Automic Automation Agent Unix versions < 24.3.0 HF4 and < 21.0.13 HF1 allow low privileged users who have execution rights on the agent executable to escalate their privileges.
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Untrusted LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable vulnerability in the GNU C Library version 2.27 to 2.38 allows attacker …
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High 7.0
CBEWIN Anytxt Searcher ATService.exe uncontrolled search path
A vulnerability classified as critical was found in CBEWIN Anytxt Searcher 1.3.1128.0. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file ATService.exe. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. The attack needs to be approached locally. The comple…
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High 7.0
MTSoftware C-Lodop CLodopPrintService unquoted search path
A vulnerability was found in MTSoftware C-Lodop 6.6.1.1 on Windows. It has been rated as critical. This issue affects some unknown processing of the component CLodopPrintService. The manipulation leads to unquoted search path. The attack needs to be approache…
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High 7.0
Hainan ToDesk DLL File Parser profapi.dll uncontrolled search path
A vulnerability was found in Hainan ToDesk 4.7.6.3. It has been declared as critical. This vulnerability affects unknown code in the library profapi.dll of the component DLL File Parser. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. It is possible to la…
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High 7.0
Shanghai Bairui Information Technology SunloginClient sunlogin_guard.exe uncontrolled search path
A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Shanghai Bairui Information Technology SunloginClient 15.8.3.19819. This affects an unknown part in the library process.dll of the file sunlogin_guard.exe. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search …
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High 7.0
Discord WINSTA.dll uncontrolled search path
A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Discord 1.0.9188 on Windows. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality in the library WINSTA.dll. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. The attack needs to be approa…
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High 7.0
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A vulnerability was found in Patch My PC Home Updater up to 5.1.3.0. It has been rated as critical. This issue affects some unknown processing in the library advapi32.dll/BCrypt.dll/comctl32.dll/crypt32.dll/dwmapi.dll/gdi32.dll/gdiplus.dll/imm32.dll/iphlpapi.…
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High 7.0
Mechrevo Control Console GCUService csCAPI.dll uncontrolled search path
A vulnerability was found in Mechrevo Control Console 1.0.2.70. It has been rated as critical. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality in the library C:\Program Files\OEM\MECHREVO Control Center\UniwillService\MyControlCenter\csCAPI.dll of the co…
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High 7.8
Microsoft System Center Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Untrusted search path in System Center allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
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High 7.8
Illustrator | Untrusted Search Path (CWE-426)
Illustrator versions 29.2.1, 28.7.4 and earlier are affected by an Untrusted Search Path vulnerability that might allow attackers to execute their own programs, access unauthorized data files, or modify configuration in unexpected ways. If the application use…
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High 7.0
Blizzard Battle.Net profapi.dll uncontrolled search path
A vulnerability was found in Blizzard Battle.Net up to 2.39.0.15212 on Windows and classified as critical. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality in the library profapi.dll. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. The attack needs to…
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High 7.5
MongoDB Shell may be susceptible to local privilege escalation in Windows
mongosh may be susceptible to local privilege escalation under certain conditions potentially enabling unauthorized actions on a user's system with elevated privilege, when a crafted file is stored in C:\node_modules\. This issue affects mongosh prior to 2.3.0
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High 7.5
MongoDB Compass may be susceptible to local privilege escalation in Windows
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High 7.3
There is a code injection vulnerability in Esri ArcGIS AllSource
There is an untrusted search path vulnerability in Esri ArcGIS AllSource 1.2 and 1.3 that may allow a low privileged attacker with write privileges to the local file system to introduce a malicious executable to the filesystem. When the victim performs a spec…
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High 7.0
Kong Insomnia profapi.dll untrusted search path
A vulnerability was found in Kong Insomnia up to 10.3.0 and classified as critical. This issue affects some unknown processing in the library profapi.dll. The manipulation leads to untrusted search path. An attack has to be approached locally. The complexity …
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High 7.8
Snowflake JDBC allows an untrusted search path on Windows
Snowflake JDBC provides a JDBC type 4 driver that supports core functionality, allowing Java program to connect to Snowflake. Snowflake discovered and remediated a vulnerability in the Snowflake JDBC Driver. When the EXTERNALBROWSER authentication method is u…
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High 7.8
Rise Group Rise Mode Temp CPU Startup CRYPTBASE.dll untrusted search path
A vulnerability was found in Rise Group Rise Mode Temp CPU 2.1. It has been classified as critical. This affects an unknown part in the library CRYPTBASE.dll of the component Startup. The manipulation leads to untrusted search path. The attack needs to be app…
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High 7.4
Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) Update Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) Update Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
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High 8.8
Untrusted Search Path Vulnerability in Bitdefender Antivirus Free 2020 (VA-8422)
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High 8.4
An issue in the USB Autorun function of HI-SCAN 6040i Hitrax HX-03-19-I allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via …
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High 7.8
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High 7.2
An unbounded resource search path in Ivanti EPM before the 2024 January-2025 Security Update and 2022 SU6 January-2025 …
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High 7.8
Untrusted Search Path vulnerability in Autodesk Revit
A maliciously crafted DLL file, when placed in the same directory as an RVT file could be loaded by Autodesk Revit, and execute arbitrary code in the context of the current process due to an untrusted search patch being utilized.
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High 7.0
DLL injection in Veeam Agent for Windows can occur if the system's PATH variable includes insecure locations. When the …
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High 7.8CVE-2023-1521 Public exploit
Local Privilege Escalation in sccache
On Linux the sccache client can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of a local sccache server, by preloading the code in a shared library passed to LD_PRELOAD. If the server is run as root (which is the default when installing the snap package https://…
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An issue in Clementine v.1.3.1 allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code via a crafted DLL file.
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High 7.8
Substance3D - Painter | Untrusted Search Path (CWE-426)
Substance3D - Painter versions 10.1.0 and earlier are affected by an Untrusted Search Path vulnerability that might allow attackers to execute arbitrary code. If the application uses a search path to locate critical resources such as programs, then an attacke…
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High 7.8
Microsoft.SqlServer.XEvent.Configuration.dll Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Microsoft.SqlServer.XEvent.Configuration.dll Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
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High 7.8
Excessive binary privileges in Ivanti Connect Secure before version 22.7R2.3 (Not Applicable to 9.1Rx) and Ivanti Polic…
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High 7.8
Autodesk VRED Design Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
A maliciously crafted binary file when downloaded could lead to escalation of privileges to NT AUTHORITY/SYSTEM due to an untrusted search path being utilized in the VRED Design application. Exploitation of this vulnerability may lead to code execution.
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High 7.8
Adobe Framemaker | Untrusted Search Path (CWE-426)
Adobe Framemaker versions 2020.6, 2022.4 and earlier are affected by an Untrusted Search Path vulnerability that could lead to arbitrary code execution. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by inserting a malicious path into the search directories, wh…
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High 7.8
Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
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High 7.8
Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
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High 8.0
HP One Agent Software – Potential Privilege Escalation
A potential security vulnerability has been identified in the HP One Agent for certain HP PC products, which might allow for escalation of privilege. HP is releasing software updates to mitigate this potential vulnerability.