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.
1786 vulnerabilities reference this CWE, most recent first.
GHSA-36F2-XG2M-GCM5
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-04-26 03:30 – Updated: 2024-04-26 03:30An issue was discovered in Veritas NetBackup before 10.4. The Multi-Threaded Agent used in NetBackup can be leveraged to perform arbitrary file deletion on protected files.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-33672"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2024-04-26T02:15:06Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "An issue was discovered in Veritas NetBackup before 10.4. The Multi-Threaded Agent used in NetBackup can be leveraged to perform arbitrary file deletion on protected files.",
"id": "GHSA-36f2-xg2m-gcm5",
"modified": "2024-04-26T03:30:29Z",
"published": "2024-04-26T03:30:29Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-33672"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/security/VTS24-001"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-36GP-FC6H-C65H
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-08-14 15:31 – Updated: 2024-08-14 15:31Uncontrolled search path in some Intel(R) FPGA SDK for OpenCL(TM) software technology may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-23909"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2024-08-14T14:15:20Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path in some Intel(R) FPGA SDK for OpenCL(TM) software technology may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-36gp-fc6h-c65h",
"modified": "2024-08-14T15:31:14Z",
"published": "2024-08-14T15:31:14Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-23909"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01104.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-37PR-3JCM-PPM2
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-06-17 00:01 – Updated: 2022-06-28 00:00A vulnerability was found in InnoSetup Installer. It has been declared as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2017-20051"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-06-16T07:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "A vulnerability was found in InnoSetup Installer. It has been declared as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.",
"id": "GHSA-37pr-3jcm-ppm2",
"modified": "2022-06-28T00:00:49Z",
"published": "2022-06-17T00:01:28Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-20051"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://vuldb.com/?id.97837"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2017/Mar/8"
}
],
"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-38GW-G59J-RR5C
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-02-20 18:31 – Updated: 2026-02-27 18:31Uncontrolled Search Path Element in Owl opds 2.2.0.4 allows Leveraging/Manipulating Configuration File Search Paths via a crafted network request.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2026-26098"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-02-20T17:25:54Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled Search Path Element in Owl opds 2.2.0.4 allows Leveraging/Manipulating Configuration File Search Paths via a crafted network request.",
"id": "GHSA-38gw-g59j-rr5c",
"modified": "2026-02-27T18:31:01Z",
"published": "2026-02-20T18:31:39Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-26098"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.nozominetworks.com/labs/vulnerability-advisories-cve-2026-26098"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/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-38WM-547C-5MMG
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-02-13 00:33 – Updated: 2025-02-13 00:33Uncontrolled search path for some EPCT software before version 1.42.8.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-39813"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-02-12T22:15:37Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path for some EPCT software before version 1.42.8.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-38wm-547c-5mmg",
"modified": "2025-02-13T00:33:06Z",
"published": "2025-02-13T00:33:06Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-39813"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01227.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-3988-JJ2M-P6M7
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-11-11 21:30 – Updated: 2025-11-11 21:30A vulnerability has been identified in Altair Grid Engine (All versions < V2026.0.0). Affected products do not properly validate environment variables when loading shared libraries, allowing path hijacking through malicious library substitution. This could allow a local attacker to execute arbitrary code with superuser privileges by manipulating the environment variable and placing a malicious library in the controlled path.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-40763"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-11-11T21:15:37Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "A vulnerability has been identified in Altair Grid Engine (All versions \u003c V2026.0.0). Affected products do not properly validate environment variables when loading shared libraries, allowing path hijacking through malicious library substitution.\nThis could allow a local attacker to execute arbitrary code with superuser privileges by manipulating the environment variable and placing a malicious library in the controlled path.",
"id": "GHSA-3988-jj2m-p6m7",
"modified": "2025-11-11T21:30:28Z",
"published": "2025-11-11T21:30:28Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-40763"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-514895.html"
}
],
"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"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/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-39P9-MVXQ-X2GF
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-11-14 21:31 – Updated: 2023-11-14 21:31Uncontrolled search path in some Intel Battery Life Diagnostic Tool software before version 2.2.1 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2023-34430"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2023-11-14T19:15:28Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path in some Intel Battery Life Diagnostic Tool software before version 2.2.1 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-39p9-mvxq-x2gf",
"modified": "2023-11-14T21:31:02Z",
"published": "2023-11-14T21:31:02Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-34430"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00843.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"
}
]
}
GHSA-39VJ-PMCW-JG9X
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 19:03 – Updated: 2022-05-24 19:03Untrusted search path vulnerability in the installers of ScanSnap Manager prior to versions V7.0L20 and the Software Download Installer prior to WinSSInst2JP.exe and WinSSInst2iX1500JP.exe allows an attacker to gain privileges and execute arbitrary code with the privilege of the user invoking the installer via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2021-20722"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-426",
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-05-24T04:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Untrusted search path vulnerability in the installers of ScanSnap Manager prior to versions V7.0L20 and the Software Download Installer prior to WinSSInst2JP.exe and WinSSInst2iX1500JP.exe allows an attacker to gain privileges and execute arbitrary code with the privilege of the user invoking the installer via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.",
"id": "GHSA-39vj-pmcw-jg9x",
"modified": "2022-05-24T19:03:08Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T19:03:08Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20722"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN65733194/index.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://scansnap.fujitsu.com/global/dl"
}
],
"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-3C2P-6J48-GMM4
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-03-31 18:31 – Updated: 2026-04-06 18:33Uncontrolled search path elements in Anthropic Claude for Windows installer (Claude Setup.exe) versions prior to 1.1.3363 allow local privilege escalation via DLL search-order hijacking. The installer loads DLLs (e.g., profapi.dll) from its own directory after UAC elevation, enabling arbitrary code execution if a malicious DLL is planted alongside the installer.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2026-22561"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-03-31T16:16:28Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path elements in Anthropic Claude for Windows installer (Claude Setup.exe) versions prior to 1.1.3363 allow local privilege escalation via DLL search-order hijacking. The installer loads DLLs (e.g., profapi.dll) from its own directory after UAC elevation, enabling arbitrary code execution if a malicious DLL is planted alongside the installer.",
"id": "GHSA-3c2p-6j48-gmm4",
"modified": "2026-04-06T18:33:01Z",
"published": "2026-03-31T18:31:31Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-22561"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://trust.anthropic.com/resources?s=1cvig6ldp3zvuj1yffzr11\u0026name=cve-2026-22561-dll-search-order-hijacking-in-claude-for-windows-installer"
}
],
"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:L/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/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-3C2R-PVHV-53P8
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 19:06 – Updated: 2022-05-24 19:06OpenVPN before version 2.5.3 on Windows allows local users to load arbitrary dynamic loadable libraries via an OpenSSL configuration file if present, which allows the user to run arbitrary code with the same privilege level as the main OpenVPN process (openvpn.exe).
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2021-3606"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-07-02T13:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "OpenVPN before version 2.5.3 on Windows allows local users to load arbitrary dynamic loadable libraries via an OpenSSL configuration file if present, which allows the user to run arbitrary code with the same privilege level as the main OpenVPN process (openvpn.exe).",
"id": "GHSA-3c2r-pvhv-53p8",
"modified": "2022-05-24T19:06:52Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T19:06:52Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-3606"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/CVE-2021-3606"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/SecurityAnnouncements"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
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.