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.
1860 vulnerabilities reference this CWE, most recent first.
GHSA-F8W9-P7H4-F9JM
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-05-19 15:31 – Updated: 2026-05-19 15:31An Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability in the OpenSSL TLS backend of Qt Network (qtbase) in Qt Qt Framework (Unix) allows a local attacker to load a rogue CA certificate as a trusted system authority via a crafted certificate file placed in the application's working directory.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-14575"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-05-19T14:16:27Z",
"severity": "LOW"
},
"details": "An Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability in the OpenSSL TLS backend of Qt Network (qtbase) in Qt Qt Framework (Unix) allows a local attacker to load a rogue CA certificate as a trusted system authority via a crafted certificate file placed in the application\u0027s working directory.",
"id": "GHSA-f8w9-p7h4-f9jm",
"modified": "2026-05-19T15:31:27Z",
"published": "2026-05-19T15:31:27Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-14575"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://codereview.qt-project.org/c/qt/qtbase/+/642967"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/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-F925-J45V-VQQP
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 19:20 – Updated: 2023-11-15 21:35DLL Search Order Hijacking Vulnerability in McAfee Drive Encryption (MDE) prior to 7.3.0 HF2 (7.3.0.183) allows local users to execute arbitrary code and escalate privileges via execution from a compromised folder.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2021-31853"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-11-10T09:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "DLL Search Order Hijacking Vulnerability in McAfee Drive Encryption (MDE) prior to 7.3.0 HF2 (7.3.0.183) allows local users to execute arbitrary code and escalate privileges via execution from a compromised folder.",
"id": "GHSA-f925-j45v-vqqp",
"modified": "2023-11-15T21:35:02Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T19:20:20Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-31853"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content\u0026id=SB10374"
}
],
"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-FC86-55VX-X268
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-01-11 03:30 – Updated: 2023-01-23 15:30** DISPUTED ** Insecure folder permissions in the Windows installation path of Shibboleth Service Provider (SP) before 3.4.1 allow an unprivileged local attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM via DLL planting in the service executable's folder. This occurs because the installation goes under C:\opt (rather than C:\Program Files) by default. NOTE: the vendor disputes the significance of this report, stating that "We consider the ACLs a best effort thing" and "it was a documentation mistake."
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2023-22947"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2023-01-11T02:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "** DISPUTED ** Insecure folder permissions in the Windows installation path of Shibboleth Service Provider (SP) before 3.4.1 allow an unprivileged local attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM via DLL planting in the service executable\u0027s folder. This occurs because the installation goes under C:\\opt (rather than C:\\Program Files) by default. NOTE: the vendor disputes the significance of this report, stating that \"We consider the ACLs a best effort thing\" and \"it was a documentation mistake.\"",
"id": "GHSA-fc86-55vx-x268",
"modified": "2023-01-23T15:30:30Z",
"published": "2023-01-11T03:30:19Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-22947"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://shibboleth.atlassian.net/browse/SSPCPP-961"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://shibboleth.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SP3/pages/2065335545/Install+on+Windows#Restricting-ACLs"
}
],
"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-FC86-6R8M-346F
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-04-13 00:00 – Updated: 2022-04-20 00:00A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC Energy Manager Basic (All versions < V7.3 Update 1), SIMATIC Energy Manager PRO (All versions < V7.3 Update 1). A DLL Hijacking vulnerability could allow a local attacker to execute code with elevated privileges by placing a malicious DLL in one of the directories on the DLL search path.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-23449"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-04-12T09:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "A vulnerability has been identified in SIMATIC Energy Manager Basic (All versions \u003c V7.3 Update 1), SIMATIC Energy Manager PRO (All versions \u003c V7.3 Update 1). A DLL Hijacking vulnerability could allow a local attacker to execute code with elevated privileges by placing a malicious DLL in one of the directories on the DLL search path.",
"id": "GHSA-fc86-6r8m-346f",
"modified": "2022-04-20T00:00:55Z",
"published": "2022-04-13T00:00:32Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23449"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-655554.pdf"
}
],
"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-FG3W-GVFH-562H
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-01-07 12:31 – Updated: 2026-01-29 00:31Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability in Altera Quartus Prime Standard on Windows (Nios II Command Shell modules), Altera Quartus Prime Lite on Windows (Nios II Command Shell modules) allows Search Order Hijacking.This issue affects Quartus Prime Standard: from 19.1 through 24.1; Quartus Prime Lite: from 19.1 through 24.1.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-14625"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-01-07T12:16:55Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability in Altera Quartus Prime Standard on Windows (Nios II Command Shell modules), Altera Quartus Prime Lite on Windows (Nios II Command Shell modules) allows Search Order Hijacking.This issue affects Quartus Prime Standard: from 19.1 through 24.1; Quartus Prime Lite: from 19.1 through 24.1.",
"id": "GHSA-fg3w-gvfh-562h",
"modified": "2026-01-29T00:31:09Z",
"published": "2026-01-07T12:31:22Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-14625"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://community.altera.com/kb/knowledge-base/how-to-mitigate-the-security-vulnerability-in-the-nios%C2%AE-ii-command-shell-utility/350185"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.altera.com/security/security-advisory/asa-0005"
}
],
"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-FGMC-62V2-RCX5
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-05-10 15:30 – Updated: 2024-04-04 03:59Uncontrolled search path element in the HotKey Services for some Intel(R) NUC P14E Laptop Element software for Windows 10 before version 1.1.44 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-41628"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2023-05-10T14:15:17Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path element in the HotKey Services for some Intel(R) NUC P14E Laptop Element software for Windows 10 before version 1.1.44 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-fgmc-62v2-rcx5",
"modified": "2024-04-04T03:59:38Z",
"published": "2023-05-10T15:30:21Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-41628"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00802.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-FGMP-R99F-P6J4
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 17:47 – Updated: 2022-05-24 17:47Adobe Genuine Service version 6.6 (and earlier) is affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path element vulnerability. An authenticated attacker could exploit this to to plant custom binaries and execute them with System permissions. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2020-9667"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-04-16T18:15:00Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Adobe Genuine Service version 6.6 (and earlier) is affected by an Uncontrolled Search Path element vulnerability. An authenticated attacker could exploit this to to plant custom binaries and execute them with System permissions. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction.",
"id": "GHSA-fgmp-r99f-p6j4",
"modified": "2022-05-24T17:47:44Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T17:47:44Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-9667"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/integrity_service/apsb20-42.html"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-FGP5-M9HJ-59X7
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 17:39 – Updated: 2022-05-24 17:39Adobe Illustrator version 25.0 (and earlier) is affected by an uncontrolled search path element that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2021-21007"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-01-13T23:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Adobe Illustrator version 25.0 (and earlier) is affected by an uncontrolled search path element that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.",
"id": "GHSA-fgp5-m9hj-59x7",
"modified": "2022-05-24T17:39:22Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T17:39:22Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21007"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/illustrator/apsb21-02.html"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-FGV7-F23J-2RJ6
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-13 01:44 – Updated: 2025-04-20 03:48If HashiCorp Vagrant VMware Fusion plugin (aka vagrant-vmware-fusion) 5.0.3 is installed but VMware Fusion is not, a local attacker can create a fake application directory and exploit the suid sudo helper in order to escalate to root.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2017-16777"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2017-11-16T15:29:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "If HashiCorp Vagrant VMware Fusion plugin (aka vagrant-vmware-fusion) 5.0.3 is installed but VMware Fusion is not, a local attacker can create a fake application directory and exploit the suid sudo helper in order to escalate to root.",
"id": "GHSA-fgv7-f23j-2rj6",
"modified": "2025-04-20T03:48:33Z",
"published": "2022-05-13T01:44:11Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16777"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://m4.rkw.io/blog/cve201716777-local-root-privesc-in-hashicorp-vagrantvmwarefusion-503.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/43219"
}
],
"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-FGWP-PWQQ-G3W4
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-01-12 18:30 – Updated: 2023-01-20 22:03Uncontrolled Search Path Element in GitHub repository bits-and-blooms/bloom prior to 3.3.1.
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "Go",
"name": "github.com/bits-and-blooms/bloom"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"fixed": "3.3.1"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2023-0247"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2023-01-12T23:41:33Z",
"nvd_published_at": "2023-01-12T17:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled Search Path Element in GitHub repository bits-and-blooms/bloom prior to 3.3.1.",
"id": "GHSA-fgwp-pwqq-g3w4",
"modified": "2023-01-20T22:03:45Z",
"published": "2023-01-12T18:30:28Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-0247"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/bits-and-blooms/bloom/commit/658f1393d4c52254a3d22f5f64f217405ec5fefb"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://github.com/bits-and-blooms/bloom"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://huntr.dev/bounties/cab50e44-0995-4ac1-a5d5-889293b9704f"
}
],
"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"
}
],
"summary": "Bloom Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability"
}
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.