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-XQJ5-X7C8-6F4H
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 19:21 – Updated: 2022-05-24 19:21Uncontrolled search path in software installer for Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi in Windows 10 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2021-0082"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-11-17T20:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path in software installer for Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi in Windows 10 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-xqj5-x7c8-6f4h",
"modified": "2022-05-24T19:21:00Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T19:21:00Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-0082"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00509.html"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-XQVW-7HH9-JM8V
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-07-31 09:30 – Updated: 2024-07-31 09:30Dell Peripheral Manager, versions prior to 1.7.6, contain an uncontrolled search path element vulnerability. An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability through preloading malicious DLL or symbolic link exploitation, leading to arbitrary code execution and escalation of privilege
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-37127"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2024-07-31T09:15:03Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Dell Peripheral Manager, versions prior to 1.7.6, contain an uncontrolled search path element vulnerability. An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability through preloading malicious DLL or symbolic link exploitation, leading to arbitrary code execution and escalation of privilege",
"id": "GHSA-xqvw-7hh9-jm8v",
"modified": "2024-07-31T09:30:50Z",
"published": "2024-07-31T09:30:50Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-37127"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000225474/dsa-2024-242"
}
],
"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-XRC2-5GR8-655Q
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 16:45 – Updated: 2023-01-31 21:30GE Communicator, all versions prior to 4.0.517, allows a non-administrative user to place malicious files within the installer file directory, which may allow an attacker to gain administrative privileges on a system during installation or upgrade.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2019-6564"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2019-05-09T15:29:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "GE Communicator, all versions prior to 4.0.517, allows a non-administrative user to place malicious files within the installer file directory, which may allow an attacker to gain administrative privileges on a system during installation or upgrade.",
"id": "GHSA-xrc2-5gr8-655q",
"modified": "2023-01-31T21:30:18Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T16:45:26Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-6564"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/advisories/ICSA-19-122-02"
}
],
"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"
}
]
}
GHSA-XRW6-GQ4W-MJ7R
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-13 01:53 – Updated: 2022-05-13 01:53Swisscom TVMediaHelper 1.1.0.50 contains a vulnerability that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the targeted system. This vulnerability exists due to the way .dll files are loaded. It allows an attacker to load a .dll of the attacker's choosing that could execute arbitrary code without the user's knowledge. The specific flaw exists within the handling of several DLLs (dwmapi.dll, PROPSYS.dll, cscapi.dll, SAMLIB.dll, netbios.dll, winhttp.dll, security.dll, ntmarta.dll, WindowsCodecs.dll, apphelp.dll) loaded by the SwisscomTVMediaHelper.exe process.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2018-6766"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2018-03-27T17:29:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Swisscom TVMediaHelper 1.1.0.50 contains a vulnerability that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the targeted system. This vulnerability exists due to the way .dll files are loaded. It allows an attacker to load a .dll of the attacker\u0027s choosing that could execute arbitrary code without the user\u0027s knowledge. The specific flaw exists within the handling of several DLLs (dwmapi.dll, PROPSYS.dll, cscapi.dll, SAMLIB.dll, netbios.dll, winhttp.dll, security.dll, ntmarta.dll, WindowsCodecs.dll, apphelp.dll) loaded by the SwisscomTVMediaHelper.exe process.",
"id": "GHSA-xrw6-gq4w-mj7r",
"modified": "2022-05-13T01:53:10Z",
"published": "2022-05-13T01:53:10Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-6766"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.swisscom.ch/content/dam/swisscom/de/about/nachhaltigkeit/digitale-schweiz/sicherheit/bug-bounty/files/cve-2018-6766_tvmediahelper.txt"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-XV56-V69H-6CW4
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 17:38 – Updated: 2022-05-24 17:38AnyDesk before 6.1.0 on Windows, when run in portable mode on a system where the attacker has write access to the application directory, allows this attacker to compromise a local user account via a read-only setting for a Trojan horse gcapi.dll file.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2020-35483"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-01-11T15:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "AnyDesk before 6.1.0 on Windows, when run in portable mode on a system where the attacker has write access to the application directory, allows this attacker to compromise a local user account via a read-only setting for a Trojan horse gcapi.dll file.",
"id": "GHSA-xv56-v69h-6cw4",
"modified": "2022-05-24T17:38:37Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T17:38:37Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-35483"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://anydesk.com/cve/2020-35483"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-XW5X-XGQJ-5WFC
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-04-15 21:30 – Updated: 2026-04-22 18:31Adobe Photoshop Installer was affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability that could have resulted in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. A low-privileged local attacker could have exploited this vulnerability by manipulating the search path used by the application to locate critical resources, potentially causing unauthorized code execution. Exploitation of this issue required user interaction in that a user had to be running the installer.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2026-34632"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-04-15T19:16:36Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Adobe Photoshop Installer was affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability that could have resulted in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. A low-privileged local attacker could have exploited this vulnerability by manipulating the search path used by the application to locate critical resources, potentially causing unauthorized code execution. Exploitation of this issue required user interaction in that a user had to be running the installer.",
"id": "GHSA-xw5x-xgqj-5wfc",
"modified": "2026-04-22T18:31:38Z",
"published": "2026-04-15T21:30:17Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-34632"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/427.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2025-2274"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-XW6W-FF6H-V543
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-08-12 18:31 – Updated: 2025-08-12 18:31Uncontrolled search path for some Intel(R) oneAPI Toolkit and component software installers may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-20017"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-08-12T17:15:27Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path for some Intel(R) oneAPI Toolkit and component software installers may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-xw6w-ff6h-v543",
"modified": "2025-08-12T18:31:26Z",
"published": "2025-08-12T18:31:26Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-20017"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01285.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-XWG5-V6XW-GQPC
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-04-11 06:30 – Updated: 2024-04-04 03:23A Windows user with basic user authorization can exploit a DLL hijacking attack in SapSetup (Software Installation Program) - version 9.0, resulting in a privilege escalation running code as administrator of the very same Windows PC. A successful attack depends on various preconditions beyond the attackers control.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2023-29187"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2023-04-11T04:16:00Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "A Windows user with basic user authorization can exploit a DLL hijacking attack in SapSetup (Software Installation Program) - version 9.0, resulting in a privilege escalation running code as administrator of the very same Windows PC. A successful attack depends on various preconditions beyond the attackers control.\n\n",
"id": "GHSA-xwg5-v6xw-gqpc",
"modified": "2024-04-04T03:23:34Z",
"published": "2023-04-11T06:30:29Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-29187"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/3311624"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.sap.com/documents/2022/02/fa865ea4-167e-0010-bca6-c68f7e60039b.html"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-XWPV-8X3R-CVM2
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-09-12 21:32 – Updated: 2024-09-12 21:32A vulnerability in Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (SM) Agent for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.
This vulnerability is due to incorrect handling of directory search paths at runtime. A low-privileged attacker could exploit this vulnerability by placing both malicious configuration files and malicious DLL files on an affected system, which would read and execute the files when Cisco Meraki SM launches on startup. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system with SYSTEM privileges.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-20430"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2024-09-12T20:15:04Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "A vulnerability in Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (SM) Agent for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.\u0026nbsp;\n\nThis vulnerability is due to incorrect handling of directory search paths at runtime. A low-privileged attacker could exploit this vulnerability by placing both malicious configuration files and malicious DLL files on an affected system, which would read and execute the files when Cisco Meraki SM launches on startup. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system with SYSTEM privileges.\u0026nbsp;",
"id": "GHSA-xwpv-8x3r-cvm2",
"modified": "2024-09-12T21:32:02Z",
"published": "2024-09-12T21:32:02Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20430"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-meraki-agent-dll-hj-Ptn7PtKe"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-XX5M-CFV3-44QX
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-08-14 15:31 – Updated: 2024-08-14 15:31Uncontrolled search path element in some installation software for Intel(R) Ethernet Adapter Driver Pack before version 28.3 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-22376"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2024-08-14T14:15:18Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path element in some installation software for Intel(R) Ethernet Adapter Driver Pack before version 28.3 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-xx5m-cfv3-44qx",
"modified": "2024-08-14T15:31:14Z",
"published": "2024-08-14T15:31:14Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-22376"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01106.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.