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-CH2Q-QQ4H-HC3C
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-05-13 21:30 – Updated: 2025-05-13 21:30Uncontrolled search path for some Intel(R) oneAPI DPC++/C++ Compiler software before version 2025.0.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-47795"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-05-13T21:16:01Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path for some Intel(R) oneAPI DPC++/C++ Compiler software before version 2025.0.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-ch2q-qq4h-hc3c",
"modified": "2025-05-13T21:30:55Z",
"published": "2025-05-13T21:30:55Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-47795"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01243.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-CH59-H425-MJJ8
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 19:03 – Updated: 2022-05-24 19:03IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows (includes Db2 Connect Server) 9.7, 10.1, 10.5, 11.1, and 11.5 could allow a local user to execute arbitrary code and conduct DLL hijacking attacks.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2019-4588"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-05-26T17:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows (includes Db2 Connect Server) 9.7, 10.1, 10.5, 11.1, and 11.5 could allow a local user to execute arbitrary code and conduct DLL hijacking attacks.",
"id": "GHSA-ch59-h425-mjj8",
"modified": "2022-05-24T19:03:21Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T19:03:21Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-4588"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/167365"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210629-0004"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6456029"
}
],
"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-CHGM-FM3P-H36C
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-11-13 21:30 – Updated: 2024-11-13 21:30Uncontrolled search path in some Intel(R) High Level Synthesis Compiler software for Intel(R) Quartus(R) Prime Pro Edition Software before version 24.1 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-31407"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2024-11-13T21:15:17Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path in some Intel(R) High Level Synthesis Compiler software for Intel(R) Quartus(R) Prime Pro Edition Software before version 24.1 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-chgm-fm3p-h36c",
"modified": "2024-11-13T21:30:36Z",
"published": "2024-11-13T21:30:36Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-31407"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01148.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-CHPF-M8C9-77GR
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-08-19 00:00 – Updated: 2022-08-23 00:00Uncontrolled search path in the installation binaries for Intel(R) SEAPI all versions may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-26374"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-08-18T20:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path in the installation binaries for Intel(R) SEAPI all versions may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-chpf-m8c9-77gr",
"modified": "2022-08-23T00:00:15Z",
"published": "2022-08-19T00:00:18Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-26374"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00701.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"
}
]
}
GHSA-CJ4C-XVFC-FW73
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-14 01:41 – Updated: 2022-05-14 01:41ExifTool 8.32 allows local users to gain privileges by creating a %TEMP%\par-%username%\cache-exiftool-8.32 folder with a victim's username, and then copying a Trojan horse ws32_32.dll file into this new folder, aka DLL Hijacking. NOTE: 8.32 is an obsolete version from 2010 (9.x was released starting in 2012, and 10.x was released starting in 2015).
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2018-20211"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2019-01-02T18:29:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "ExifTool 8.32 allows local users to gain privileges by creating a %TEMP%\\par-%username%\\cache-exiftool-8.32 folder with a victim\u0027s username, and then copying a Trojan horse ws32_32.dll file into this new folder, aka DLL Hijacking. NOTE: 8.32 is an obsolete version from 2010 (9.x was released starting in 2012, and 10.x was released starting in 2015).",
"id": "GHSA-cj4c-xvfc-fw73",
"modified": "2022-05-14T01:41:34Z",
"published": "2022-05-14T01:41:34Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-20211"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/150892/Exiftool-8.3.2.0-DLL-Hijacking.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2018/Dec/44"
}
],
"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-CJ9P-J3HG-5XMV
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-01-24 15:30 – Updated: 2025-01-24 15:30DLL hijacking vulnerabilities, caused by an uncontrolled search path in the
ToolStick
installer can lead to privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution when running the impacted installer.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-9493"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-01-24T15:15:11Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "DLL hijacking vulnerabilities, caused by an uncontrolled search path in the\u00a0\n\nToolStick\n\n installer can lead to privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution when running the impacted installer.",
"id": "GHSA-cj9p-j3hg-5xmv",
"modified": "2025-01-24T15:30:48Z",
"published": "2025-01-24T15:30:48Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-9493"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://community.silabs.com/068Vm00000JUQwd"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-CJCV-G54M-PC49
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-06 00:00 – Updated: 2022-05-13 00:01On F5 BIG-IP APM 16.1.x versions prior to 16.1.2.2, 15.1.x versions prior to 15.1.5.1, 14.1.x versions prior to 14.1.4.6, 13.1.x versions prior to 13.1.5, and all versions of 12.1.x and 11.6.x, as well as F5 BIG-IP APM Clients 7.x versions prior to 7.2.1.5, a DLL Hijacking vulnerability exists in the BIG-IP Edge Client Windows Installer. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-28714"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-05-05T17:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "On F5 BIG-IP APM 16.1.x versions prior to 16.1.2.2, 15.1.x versions prior to 15.1.5.1, 14.1.x versions prior to 14.1.4.6, 13.1.x versions prior to 13.1.5, and all versions of 12.1.x and 11.6.x, as well as F5 BIG-IP APM Clients 7.x versions prior to 7.2.1.5, a DLL Hijacking vulnerability exists in the BIG-IP Edge Client Windows Installer. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated",
"id": "GHSA-cjcv-g54m-pc49",
"modified": "2022-05-13T00:01:02Z",
"published": "2022-05-06T00:00:28Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-28714"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K54460845"
}
],
"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-CJP5-2C5H-3735
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-2026-26099"
],
"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-cjp5-2c5h-3735",
"modified": "2026-02-27T18:31:01Z",
"published": "2026-02-20T18:31:39Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-26099"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.nozominetworks.com/labs/vulnerability-advisories-cve-2026-26099"
}
],
"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-CJV2-PC8W-RJFQ
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-06-12 15:30 – Updated: 2026-06-12 15:30MobaXterm Personal Edition (Portable), in its 26.3 version (Build 5154), allows arbitrary code execution by loading a malicious DLL located in the same directory as the portable executable. Because the application automatically loads the winspool.drv library from that location during startup, an attacker with local access can place a specially crafted DLL alongside the executable to be executed when the victim launches the application.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2026-11967"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-06-12T14:16:30Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "MobaXterm Personal Edition (Portable), in its 26.3 version (Build 5154), allows arbitrary code execution by loading a malicious DLL located in the same directory as the portable executable. Because the application automatically loads the winspool.drv library from that location during startup, an attacker with local access can place a specially crafted DLL alongside the executable to be executed when the victim launches the application.",
"id": "GHSA-cjv2-pc8w-rjfq",
"modified": "2026-06-12T15:30:34Z",
"published": "2026-06-12T15:30:34Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-11967"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.incibe.es/en/incibe-cert/notices/aviso/multiple-vulnerabilities-mobateks-mobaxterm-personal-edition-portable"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"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-CJVM-95QV-84M2
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-11-14 21:31 – Updated: 2023-11-14 21:31Uncontrolled search path element in some Intel(R) RealSense(TM) Dynamic Calibration software before version 2.13.1.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2023-29504"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2023-11-14T19:15:24Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path element in some Intel(R) RealSense(TM) Dynamic Calibration software before version 2.13.1.0 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-cjvm-95qv-84m2",
"modified": "2023-11-14T21:31:01Z",
"published": "2023-11-14T21:31:01Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-29504"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00871.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"
}
]
}
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.