CWE-427
Allowed-with-ReviewUncontrolled Search Path Element
Abstraction: Base · Status: Draft
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.
1782 vulnerabilities reference this CWE, most recent first.
GHSA-W8VJ-9447-MVG7
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-01 01:49 – Updated: 2022-05-01 01:49Opera 7.54 and earlier on Gentoo Linux uses an insecure path for plugins, which could allow local users to gain privileges by inserting malicious libraries into the PORTAGE_TMPDIR (portage) temporary directory.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2005-0457"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2005-05-02T04:00:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Opera 7.54 and earlier on Gentoo Linux uses an insecure path for plugins, which could allow local users to gain privileges by inserting malicious libraries into the PORTAGE_TMPDIR (portage) temporary directory.",
"id": "GHSA-w8vj-9447-mvg7",
"modified": "2022-05-01T01:49:38Z",
"published": "2022-05-01T01:49:38Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2005-0457"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=81747"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200502-17.xml"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-W973-74M8-8XW5
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-01-12 00:01 – Updated: 2022-01-22 00:02Uncontrolled search path element vulnerability in McAfee TechCheck prior to 4.0.0.2 allows a local administrator to load their own Dynamic Link Library (DLL) gaining elevation of privileges to system user. This was achieved through placing the malicious DLL in the same directory that the process was run from.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-0129"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-01-11T17:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path element vulnerability in McAfee TechCheck prior to 4.0.0.2 allows a local administrator to load their own Dynamic Link Library (DLL) gaining elevation of privileges to system user. This was achieved through placing the malicious DLL in the same directory that the process was run from.",
"id": "GHSA-w973-74m8-8xw5",
"modified": "2022-01-22T00:02:25Z",
"published": "2022-01-12T00:01:19Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-0129"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://service.mcafee.com/?articleId=TS103243"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-W9QM-5WJH-3M5X
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-11-30 15:30 – Updated: 2023-11-30 15:30A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in NotePad++ up to 8.1. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file dbghelp.exe. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. An attack has to be approached locally. The identifier VDB-246421 was assigned to this vulnerability. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2023-6401"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2023-11-30T15:15:09Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in NotePad++ up to 8.1. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file dbghelp.exe. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. An attack has to be approached locally. The identifier VDB-246421 was assigned to this vulnerability. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.",
"id": "GHSA-w9qm-5wjh-3m5x",
"modified": "2023-11-30T15:30:25Z",
"published": "2023-11-30T15:30:25Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-6401"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://vuldb.com/?ctiid.246421"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://vuldb.com/?id.246421"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-W9VJ-3RVH-3783
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-05-03 03:31 – Updated: 2024-05-03 03:31Ashlar-Vellum Argon Uncontrolled Search Path Element Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Ashlar-Vellum Argon. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.
The specific flaw exists within the parsing of various file types. The process loads a library from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-21678.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2023-44438"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2024-05-03T03:15:59Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Ashlar-Vellum Argon Uncontrolled Search Path Element Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Ashlar-Vellum Argon. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.\n\nThe specific flaw exists within the parsing of various file types. The process loads a library from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-21678.",
"id": "GHSA-w9vj-3rvh-3783",
"modified": "2024-05-03T03:31:05Z",
"published": "2024-05-03T03:31:05Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-44438"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-23-1596"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-WC4J-QQMP-4VC4
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-08-12 12:30 – Updated: 2025-08-12 12:30The affected setup component is vulnerable to DLL hijacking. This could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code when a legitimate user installs an application that uses the affected setup component.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-30033"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-08-12T12:15:34Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "The affected setup component is vulnerable to DLL hijacking. This could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code when a legitimate user installs an application that uses the affected setup component.",
"id": "GHSA-wc4j-qqmp-4vc4",
"modified": "2025-08-12T12:30:33Z",
"published": "2025-08-12T12:30:33Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-30033"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-282044.html"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X",
"type": "CVSS_V4"
}
]
}
GHSA-WC6X-3M7Q-96PV
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 17:32 – Updated: 2022-05-24 17:32SonicWall Global VPN client version 4.10.4.0314 and earlier have an insecure library loading (DLL hijacking) vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to remote code execution in the target system.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2020-5145"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2020-10-28T11:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "SonicWall Global VPN client version 4.10.4.0314 and earlier have an insecure library loading (DLL hijacking) vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to remote code execution in the target system.",
"id": "GHSA-wc6x-3m7q-96pv",
"modified": "2022-05-24T17:32:42Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T17:32:42Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-5145"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2020-0021"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-WCM9-XH5Q-36WF
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-05-13 21:30 – Updated: 2025-05-13 21:30Uncontrolled search path element for some Intel(R) Ethernet Connection software before version 29.4 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-20015"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-05-13T21:16:03Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path element for some Intel(R) Ethernet Connection software before version 29.4 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-wcm9-xh5q-36wf",
"modified": "2025-05-13T21:30:55Z",
"published": "2025-05-13T21:30:55Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-20015"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01294.html"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X",
"type": "CVSS_V4"
}
]
}
GHSA-WCVQ-GWCQ-GWHF
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-01-05 18:30 – Updated: 2026-01-06 00:30An issue was discovered in Samsung Magician 6.3.0 through 8.3.2 on Windows. The installer creates a temporary folder with weak permissions during installation, allowing a non-admin user to perform DLL hijacking and escalate privileges.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-57836"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-01-05T17:15:45Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "An issue was discovered in Samsung Magician 6.3.0 through 8.3.2 on Windows. The installer creates a temporary folder with weak permissions during installation, allowing a non-admin user to perform DLL hijacking and escalate privileges.",
"id": "GHSA-wcvq-gwcq-gwhf",
"modified": "2026-01-06T00:30:21Z",
"published": "2026-01-05T18:30:22Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-57836"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://semiconductor.samsung.com/support/quality-support/product-security-updates"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://semiconductor.samsung.com/support/quality-support/product-security-updates/cve-2025-57836"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-WF29-CXX3-F5H5
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 17:42 – Updated: 2022-08-06 00:00A 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 on an affected device if the VPN Posture (HostScan) Module is installed on the AnyConnect client. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IPC message to the AnyConnect process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs valid credentials on the Windows system.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2021-1366"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-347",
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-02-17T17:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "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 on an affected device if the VPN Posture (HostScan) Module is installed on the AnyConnect client. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IPC message to the AnyConnect process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs valid credentials on the Windows system.",
"id": "GHSA-wf29-cxx3-f5h5",
"modified": "2022-08-06T00:00:38Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T17:42:31Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-1366"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-anyconnect-dll-hijac-JrcTOQMC"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-WFX9-CPJP-4XFJ
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-02-13 00:33 – Updated: 2025-02-13 00:33Uncontrolled search path for the Intel(R) Thread Director Visualizer software before version 1.0.1 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-36283"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-02-12T22:15:34Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path for the Intel(R) Thread Director Visualizer software before version 1.0.1 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-wfx9-cpjp-4xfj",
"modified": "2025-02-13T00:33:05Z",
"published": "2025-02-13T00:33:05Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-36283"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01232.html"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X",
"type": "CVSS_V4"
}
]
}
Mitigation
Strategy: Attack Surface Reduction
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.
Mitigation
Strategy: Attack Surface Reduction
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.
Mitigation
Strategy: Attack Surface Reduction
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.
Mitigation
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.
Mitigation
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.
CAPEC-38: Leveraging/Manipulating Configuration File Search Paths
This pattern of attack sees an adversary load a malicious resource into a program's standard path so that when a known command is executed then the system instead executes the malicious component. The adversary can either modify the search path a program uses, like a PATH variable or classpath, or they can manipulate resources on the path to point to their malicious components. J2EE applications and other component based applications that are built from multiple binaries can have very long list of dependencies to execute. If one of these libraries and/or references is controllable by the attacker then application controls can be circumvented by the attacker.
CAPEC-471: Search Order Hijacking
An adversary exploits a weakness in an application's specification of external libraries to exploit the functionality of the loader where the process loading the library searches first in the same directory in which the process binary resides and then in other directories. Exploitation of this preferential search order can allow an attacker to make the loading process load the adversary's rogue library rather than the legitimate library. This attack can be leveraged with many different libraries and with many different loading processes. No forensic trails are left in the system's registry or file system that an incorrect library had been loaded.