Weakness (CWE)
CWE-59: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access
The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.
How to prevent it (1 mitigation)
-
Architecture and Design
Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
Denying access to a file can prevent an attacker from replacing that file with a link to a sensitive file. Ensure good compartmentalization in the system to provide protected areas that can be trusted.
Source: MITRE CWE-59
1,132 results · Feed
-
High 8.8
Phoenix Contact: File access due to the replacement of a critical file used by the arp-preinit script
A low privileged remote attacker with file access can replace a critical file used by the arp-preinit script to get read, write and execute access to any file on the device.
-
High 8.8
Phoenix Contact: File access due to the replacement of a critical file used by the watchdog
A low privileged remote attacker with file access can replace a critical file used by the watchdog to get read, write and execute access to any file on the device after the watchdog has been initialized.
-
High 7.3
Model Context Protocol Servers Vulnerable to Path Validation Bypass via Prefix Matching and Symlink Handling
Model Context Protocol Servers is a collection of reference implementations for the model context protocol (MCP). Versions of Filesystem prior to 0.6.4 or 2025.7.01 could allow access to unintended files via symlinks within allowed directories. Users are advi…
-
High 7.2
A path or symbolic link manipulation vulnerability in SIR 1.0.3 and prior versions allows an authenticated non-admin lo…
-
Critical 9.3
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access vulnerability in yrutschle/sslh
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') vulnerability in yrutschle sslh.This issue affects sslh: before 2.2.2.
-
Medium 5.5
A link following vulnerability in Trend Micro Deep Security 20.0 agents could allow a local attacker to create a denial…
-
High 7.8
A link following vulnerability in the anti-malware solution portion of Trend Micro Deep Security 20.0 agents could allo…
-
High 7.8
A link following vulnerability in Trend Micro Deep Security 20.0 agents could allow a local attacker to escalate privil…
-
High 7.8
Windows Installer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Windows Installer allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
-
High 7.3
Windows Recovery Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Windows Recovery Driver allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
-
High 7.3
2BrightSparks SyncBackFree Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
2BrightSparks SyncBackFree Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of 2BrightSparks SyncBackFree. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute …
-
High 7.8
Realtek Bluetooth HCI Adaptor - Privilege Escalation
Bluetooth HCI Adaptor from Realtek has a Link Following vulnerability. Local attackers with regular privileges can create a symbolic link with the same name as a specific file, causing the product to delete arbitrary files pointed to by the link. Subsequently…
-
Medium 5.5
This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma …
-
High 8.8CVE-2025-47181 Public exploit
Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) Update Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
-
Medium 5.7
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') vulnerability in HYPR Passwordless on Windows allows Pri…
-
Medium 6.2
The configuration initialization tool in OpenVPN 3 Linux v20 through v24 on Linux allows a local attacker to use symlin…
-
High 7.3
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access in QFileSystemEngine on Windows
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') vulnerability in QFileSystemEngine in the Qt corelib module on Windows which potentially allows Symlink Attacks and the use of Malicious Files. Issue originates from CVE-2024-38081. The vulnerabil…
-
High 8.2
Improper link resolution before file access ('Link Following') for some Intel(R) Graphics Driver software installers ma…
-
Medium 5.5
Windows Installer Information Disclosure Vulnerability
Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Windows Installer allows an authorized attacker to disclose information locally.
-
High 7.8
Microsoft PC Manager Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Microsoft PC Manager allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
-
Medium 6.1
Insecure file handling vulnerability
VMware Tools contains an insecure file handling vulnerability. A malicious actor with non-administrative privileges on a guest VM may tamper the local files to trigger insecure file operations within that VM.
-
High 7.8
Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in Avira Prime Version 1.1.96.2
Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in System Speedup Service in Avira Operations GmbH Avira Prime Version 1.1.96.2 on Windows 10 x64 allows local attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM via cre…
-
High 7.8
Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in Avast Cleanup Premium Version 24.2.16593.17810
Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in TuneupSvc in Gen Digital Inc. Avast Cleanup Premium Version 24.2.16593.17810 on Windows 10 Pro x64 allows local attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM via…
-
High 7.8
Avast Cleanup Premium TuneupSvc Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in TuneupSvc in Avast Cleanup Premium Version 24.2.16593.17810 on Windows 10 Pro x64 allows local attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM via creating a symbo…
-
High 7.8
Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in AVG TuneUp Version 23.4
Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in TuneUp Service in AVG TuneUp Version 23.4 (build 15592) on Windows 10 allows local attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM via creating a symbolic link and…
-
High 7.8
Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in AVG TuneUp 24.2.16593.9844
Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in TuneupSvc.exe in AVG TuneUp 24.2.16593.9844 on Windows allows local attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM via creating a symbolic link and leveraging the…
-
High 7.8
Local Privilege Escalation in Avira Prime 1.1.96.2 on Windows 10 x64
Local Privilege Escalation in Avira.Spotlight.Service.exe in Avira Prime 1.1.96.2 on Windows 10 x64 allows local attackers to gain system-level privileges via arbitrary file deletion
-
High 7.8
Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in NortonUtilitiesSvc in Norton Utilities Ultimate (Also affects Avast CleanUp and AVG TuneUp)
Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in NortonUtilitiesSvc in Norton Utilities Ultimate Version 24.2.16862.6344 on Windows 10 Pro x64 allows local attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM via the …
-
High 7.3
Elevation of Privilege in Docker Desktop for Windows during Upgrade due to Insecure Directory Deletion
A vulnerability in the update process of Docker Desktop for Windows versions prior to 4.41.0 could allow a local, low-privileged attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. During an update, Docker Desktop attempts to delete files and subdirectories under the …
-
Medium 6.9
HP Touchpoint Analytics Service – Potential Escalation of Privilege
A potential security vulnerability has been identified in the HP Touchpoint Analytics Service for certain HP PC products with versions prior to 4.2.2439. This vulnerability could potentially allow a local attacker to escalate privileges. HP is providing softw…
-
Medium 6.1
A Improper Link Resolution vulnerability (CWE-59) in the SonicWall Connect Tunnel Windows (32 and 64 bit) client, this …
-
Medium 6.7
Dell Trusted Device, versions prior to 7.0.3.0, contain an Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following…
-
High 7.2
An Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') vulnerability in SonicWall NetExtender Windows (32 an…
-
High 7.8
Windows Installer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Windows Installer allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
-
High 7.8CVE-2025-21204 Public exploit
Windows Process Activation Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Windows Update Stack allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
-
Medium 4.4
This issue was addressed with improved handling of symlinks. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.4. An app with roo…
-
Medium 5.5
This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma …
-
Critical 9.8
This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma …
-
Low 2.1
Metabase vulnerable to circumvention of local link access protection in GeoJson endpoint
Metabase is a business intelligence and embedded analytics tool. Versions prior to v0.52.16.4, v1.52.16.4, v0.53.8, and v1.53.8 are vulnerable to circumvention of local link access protection in GeoJson endpoint. Self hosted Metabase instances that are using …
-
High 7.5CVE-2024-12905 Public exploit
tar-fs Vulnerable to Link Following and Path Traversal via Extracting a Crafted tar File
An Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ("Link Following") and Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ("Path Traversal"). This vulnerability occurs when extracting a maliciously crafted tar file, which can result in unauthorized fi…