Weakness (CWE)
CWE-427: Uncontrolled Search Path Element
The product uses a fixed or controlled search path to find resources, but one or more locations in that path can be under the control of unintended actors.
More detail
Although this weakness can occur with any type of resource, it is frequently introduced when a product uses a directory search path to find executables or code libraries, but the path contains a directory that can be modified by an attacker, such as "/tmp" or the current working directory.
In Windows-based systems, when the LoadLibrary or LoadLibraryEx function is called with a DLL name that does not contain a fully qualified path, the function follows a search order that includes two path elements that might be uncontrolled:
- the directory from which the program has been loaded
- the current working directory
In some cases, the attack can be conducted remotely, such as when SMB or WebDAV network shares are used.
One or more locations in that path could include the Windows drive root or its subdirectories. This often exists in Linux-based code assuming the controlled nature of the root directory (/) or its subdirectories (/etc, etc), or a code that recursively accesses the parent directory. In Windows, the drive root and some of its subdirectories have weak permissions by default, which makes them uncontrolled.
In some Unix-based systems, a PATH might be created that contains an empty element, e.g. by splicing an empty variable into the PATH. This empty element can be interpreted as equivalent to the current working directory, which might be an untrusted search element.
In software package management frameworks (e.g., npm, RubyGems, or PyPi), the framework may identify dependencies on third-party libraries or other packages, then consult a repository that contains the desired package. The framework may search a public repository before a private repository. This could be exploited by attackers by placing a malicious package in the public repository that has the same name as a package from the private repository. The search path might not be directly under control of the developer relying on the framework, but this search order effectively contains an untrusted element.
How to prevent it (5 mitigations)
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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. Since this is a denylist approach, it might not be a complete solution.
-
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 finding the program using the PATH environment variable, while execl() and execv() require a full path.
Source: MITRE CWE-427
546 results · Clear filters · Feed
-
High 7.0
Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability in Lightroom Classic 10.0
Adobe Lightroom Classic version 10.0 (and earlier) for Windows is affected by an uncontrolled search path vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in t…
-
High 7.8
Cortex XDR Agent: Improper control of loaded DLL leads to local privilege escalation
A local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Agent on the Windows platform that allows an authenticated local Windows user to execute programs with SYSTEM privileges. This requires the user to have the privilege to create…
-
High 7.0
Uncontrolled Search Path in Adobe Media Encoder for Windows
Adobe Media Encoder version 14.4 (and earlier) for Windows is affected by an uncontrolled search path vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that …
-
High 7.0
Uncontrolled Search Path in Adobe Premiere Pro for Windows
Adobe Premiere Pro version 14.4 (and earlier) is affected by an uncontrolled search path element that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open …
-
High 7.0
Uncontrolled Search Path Element in Adobe Photoshop for Windows
Adobe Photoshop for Windows version 21.2.1 (and earlier) is affected by an uncontrolled search path element vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in…
-
High 7.0
Uncontrolled Search Path Element in Adobe After Effects for Windows
Adobe After Effects version 17.1.1 (and earlier) for Windows is affected by an uncontrolled search path vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in tha…
-
High 7.5
Privilege escalation vulnerability in Dreamweaver version 20.2
Dreamweaver version 20.2 (and earlier) is affected by an uncontrolled search path element vulnerability that could lead to privilege escalation. Successful exploitation could result in a local user with permissions to write to the file system running system c…
-
High 7.0
Uncontrolled Search Path in Creative Cloud Desktop Application
Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application version 5.2 (and earlier) and 2.1 (and earlier) for Windows is affected by an uncontrolled search path vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of thi…
-
High 7.3
A DLL search path vulnerability was reported in the Lenovo HardwareScan Plugin for the Lenovo Vantage hardware scan fea…
-
High 7.8
Cisco Webex Teams Client for Windows DLL Hijacking Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the loading mechanism of specific DLLs in the Cisco Webex Teams client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to load a malicious library. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs valid credentials on the Windows …
-
High 7.8
DLL Hijacking
A DLL Hijacking vulnerability in Eaton's 9000x Programming and Configuration Software v 2.0.38 and prior allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code by replacing the required DLLs with malicious DLLs when the software try to load vci11un6.DLL and cinpl.DLL.
-
High 7.8
DLL Search Order Hijacking in MA for Windows
DLL Search Order Hijacking Vulnerability in the installer in McAfee Agent (MA) for Windows prior to 5.6.6 allows local users to execute arbitrary code and escalate privileges via execution from a compromised folder.
-
High 7.0
Insecure path handling in Bundler
Bundler prior to 2.1.0 uses a predictable path in /tmp/, created with insecure permissions as a storage location for gems, if locations under the user's home directory are not available. If Bundler is used in a scenario where the user does not have a writable…
-
High 7.8
Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows DLL Hijacking Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform a DLL hijacking attack. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to ha…
KEV Oct 24, 2022 -
High 7.4
Philips SmartControl DLL Hijacking
An Uncontrolled Search Path Element (CWE-427) vulnerability in SmartControl version 4.3.15 and versions released before April 15, 2020 may allow an authenticated user to escalate privileges by placing a specially crafted DLL file in the search path. This issu…
-
High 7.1
Dell Dock Firmware Update Utilities for Dell Client Consumer and Commercial docking stations contain an Arbitrary File …
-
High 7.8
DLL Injection in kerberos
The kerberos package before 1.0.0 for Node.js allows arbitrary code execution and privilege escalation via injection of malicious DLLs through use of the kerberos_sspi LoadLibrary() method, because of a DLL path search.
-
High 7.0
SAP Business Client, version 7.0, allows an attacker after a successful social engineering attack to inject malicious c…
-
High 7.8
DLL Hijacking in Google Earth Pro Windows installer
Untrusted Search Path vulnerability in the windows installer of Google Earth Pro versions prior to 7.3.3 allows an attacker to insert malicious local files to execute unauthenticated remote code on the targeted system.
-
High 7.1
Dell Client Consumer and Commercial Platforms contain an Arbitrary File Overwrite Vulnerability. The vulnerability is l…
-
High 7.1
Dell Command Configure versions prior to 4.2.1 contain an uncontrolled search path vulnerability. A locally authenticat…
-
High 7.8
Rapid7 InsightAppSec Local Privilege Escalation
The Rapid7 InsightAppSec broker suffers from a DLL injection vulnerability in the 'prunsrv.exe' component of the product. If exploited, a local user of the system (who must already be authenticated to the operating system) can elevate their privileges with th…
-
High 7.8
Adobe After Effects versions 16 and earlier have an insecure library loading (dll hijacking) vulnerability. Successful …
-
High 7.8
Rapid7 Insight Agent, version 2.6.3 and prior, suffers from a local privilege escalation due to an uncontrolled DLL sea…
-
High 7.8
Adobe ColdFusion Update 5 and earlier versions, ColdFusion 11 Update 13 and earlier versions have an exploitable Insecu…
-
High —
Cheetah Path Search Order Hijacking
Cheetah 0.9.15 and 0.9.16 searches the /tmp directory for modules before using the paths in the PYTHONPATH variable, which allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a malicious module in /tmp/.