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-45WQ-MWWF-98QF
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-05-16 21:32 – Updated: 2024-05-16 21:32Uncontrolled search path in some Intel(R) Advisor software before version 2024.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-21772"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2024-05-16T21:16:01Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path in some Intel(R) Advisor software before version 2024.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-45wq-mwwf-98qf",
"modified": "2024-05-16T21:32:01Z",
"published": "2024-05-16T21:32:01Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-21772"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01047.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-46F9-RMG7-HH9M
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-03-04 21:30 – Updated: 2025-03-25 15:31Wondershare filmora 9.2.11 is affected by Trojan Dll hijacking leading to privilege escalation.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2020-23438"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-03-04T21:15:10Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Wondershare filmora 9.2.11 is affected by Trojan Dll hijacking leading to privilege escalation.",
"id": "GHSA-46f9-rmg7-hh9m",
"modified": "2025-03-25T15:31:21Z",
"published": "2025-03-04T21:30:58Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-23438"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://cvewalkthrough.com/cve-2020-23438-wondershare-filmora-9-2-11-trojan-dll-hijacking-leading-to-privilege-escalation"
}
],
"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-46HR-24VX-HM3M
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-01-14 21:31 – Updated: 2025-01-14 21:31Photoshop Desktop versions 25.12, 26.1 and earlier are affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability that could lead to arbitrary code execution. An attacker could manipulate the search path environment variable to point to a malicious library, resulting in the execution of arbitrary code when the application loads. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must run the vulnerable application.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-21127"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-01-14T19:15:33Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Photoshop Desktop versions 25.12, 26.1 and earlier are affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability that could lead to arbitrary code execution. An attacker could manipulate the search path environment variable to point to a malicious library, resulting in the execution of arbitrary code when the application loads. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must run the vulnerable application.",
"id": "GHSA-46hr-24vx-hm3m",
"modified": "2025-01-14T21:31:47Z",
"published": "2025-01-14T21:31:47Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-21127"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/photoshop/apsb25-02.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"
}
]
}
GHSA-47RC-XXQP-2645
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-12-10 18:30 – Updated: 2025-12-23 15:30MailEnable versions prior to 10.54 contain an unsafe DLL loading vulnerability that can lead to local arbitrary code execution. The MailEnable administrative executable attempts to load MEAISM.DLL from its installation directory without sufficient integrity validation or a secure search order. A local attacker with write access to that directory can plant a malicious MEAISM.DLL, which is then loaded when the executable starts, resulting in execution of attacker-controlled code with the privileges of the process.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-34419"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-12-10T16:16:25Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "MailEnable versions prior to 10.54 contain an unsafe DLL loading vulnerability that can lead to local arbitrary code execution. The MailEnable administrative executable attempts to load MEAISM.DLL from its installation directory without sufficient integrity validation or a secure search order. A local attacker with write access to that directory can plant a malicious MEAISM.DLL, which is then loaded when the executable starts, resulting in execution of attacker-controlled code with the privileges of the process.",
"id": "GHSA-47rc-xxqp-2645",
"modified": "2025-12-23T15:30:29Z",
"published": "2025-12-10T18:30:25Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-34419"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://mailenable.com/Standard-ReleaseNotes.txt"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.mailenable.com"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/mailenable-dll-hijacking-via-unsafe-loading-of-meaism-dll"
}
],
"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-47V2-M4W2-VXPG
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 19:08 – Updated: 2022-05-24 19:08Dell SupportAssist for Business PCs versions 2.0, 2.0.1, 2.0.2, 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3 and Dell SupportAssist for Home PCs version 2.0, 2.0.1, 2.0.2, 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.2, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 3.0, 3.0.1, 3.0.2, 3.1, 3.2, 3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.3, 3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.3.3, 3.4 contain an uncontrolled search path vulnerability. A locally authenticated low privileged user could exploit this vulnerability to cause the loading of arbitrary DLLs by the SupportAssist binaries, resulting in the privileged execution of arbitrary code.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2020-5316"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-07-22T17:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Dell SupportAssist for Business PCs versions 2.0, 2.0.1, 2.0.2, 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3 and Dell SupportAssist for Home PCs version 2.0, 2.0.1, 2.0.2, 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.2, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 3.0, 3.0.1, 3.0.2, 3.1, 3.2, 3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.3, 3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.3.3, 3.4 contain an uncontrolled search path vulnerability. A locally authenticated low privileged user could exploit this vulnerability to cause the loading of arbitrary DLLs by the SupportAssist binaries, resulting in the privileged execution of arbitrary code.",
"id": "GHSA-47v2-m4w2-vxpg",
"modified": "2022-05-24T19:08:59Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T19:08:59Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-5316"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://www.dell.com/support/article/SLN320101"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-4899-PVV3-2FPM
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-13 01:34 – Updated: 2022-05-13 01:34An uncontrolled search path element (DLL Hijacking) vulnerability has been identified in Fuji Electric Energy Savings Estimator versions V.1.0.2.0 and prior. Exploitation of this vulnerability could give an attacker access to the system with the same level of privilege as the application that utilizes the malicious DLL.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2018-14812"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2018-10-24T21:29:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "An uncontrolled search path element (DLL Hijacking) vulnerability has been identified in Fuji Electric Energy Savings Estimator versions V.1.0.2.0 and prior. Exploitation of this vulnerability could give an attacker access to the system with the same level of privilege as the application that utilizes the malicious DLL.",
"id": "GHSA-4899-pvv3-2fpm",
"modified": "2022-05-13T01:34:26Z",
"published": "2022-05-13T01:34:26Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-14812"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/advisories/ICSA-18-282-07"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105543"
}
],
"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-49C8-CMR9-7C94
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-02-10 00:00 – Updated: 2022-02-10 00:00AMD Radeon Software may be vulnerable to DLL Hijacking through path variable. An unprivileged user may be able to drop its malicious DLL file in any location which is in path environment variable.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2020-12891"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-02-04T23:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "AMD Radeon Software may be vulnerable to DLL Hijacking through path variable. An unprivileged user may be able to drop its malicious DLL file in any location which is in path environment variable.",
"id": "GHSA-49c8-cmr9-7c94",
"modified": "2022-02-10T00:00:50Z",
"published": "2022-02-10T00:00:50Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-12891"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.amd.com/en/corporate/product-security/bulletin/amd-sb-1000"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-49FP-CQP5-M429
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-08-12 18:31 – Updated: 2025-08-12 18:31Uncontrolled search path for some Intel(R) RealSense(TM) Dynamic Calibrator software before version 2.14.2.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-22838"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-08-12T17:15:31Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path for some Intel(R) RealSense(TM) Dynamic Calibrator software before version 2.14.2.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-49fp-cqp5-m429",
"modified": "2025-08-12T18:31:28Z",
"published": "2025-08-12T18:31:28Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-22838"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01318.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-49VP-RVR9-VH53
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-02-10 00:00 – Updated: 2022-02-10 00:00Local privilege escalation due to DLL hijacking vulnerability in Acronis Media Builder service. The following products are affected: Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office (Windows) before build 39612, Acronis True Image 2021 (Windows) before build 39287
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2021-44206"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-02-04T23:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Local privilege escalation due to DLL hijacking vulnerability in Acronis Media Builder service. The following products are affected: Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office (Windows) before build 39612, Acronis True Image 2021 (Windows) before build 39287",
"id": "GHSA-49vp-rvr9-vh53",
"modified": "2022-02-10T00:00:41Z",
"published": "2022-02-10T00:00:41Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-44206"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://security-advisory.acronis.com/advisories/SEC-3058"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-4CHM-MJ72-7PVR
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 19:01 – Updated: 2022-05-24 19:01Multiple vulnerabilities in the install, uninstall, and upgrade processes of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to hijack DLL or executable files that are used by the application. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on an affected device with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit these vulnerabilities, the attacker must have valid credentials on the Windows system. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2021-1427"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-378",
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-05-06T13:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Multiple vulnerabilities in the install, uninstall, and upgrade processes of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to hijack DLL or executable files that are used by the application. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on an affected device with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit these vulnerabilities, the attacker must have valid credentials on the Windows system. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.",
"id": "GHSA-4chm-mj72-7pvr",
"modified": "2022-05-24T19:01:37Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T19:01:37Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-1427"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-anyconnect-code-exec-jR3tWTA6"
}
],
"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.