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.
1862 vulnerabilities reference this CWE, most recent first.
GHSA-GGH9-X24V-VPVF
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-11-11 18:30 – Updated: 2025-11-11 18:30Uncontrolled search path for the Intel(R) Processor Identification Utility before version 8.0.43 within Ring 3: User Applications may allow an escalation of privilege. System software adversary with an authenticated user combined with a high complexity attack may enable escalation of privilege. This result may potentially occur via local access when attack requirements are present without special internal knowledge and requires active user interaction. The potential vulnerability may impact the confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (high) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (none), integrity (none) and availability (none) impacts.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-32001"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-11-11T17:15:48Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path for the Intel(R) Processor Identification Utility before version 8.0.43 within Ring 3: User Applications may allow an escalation of privilege. System software adversary with an authenticated user combined with a high complexity attack may enable escalation of privilege. This result may potentially occur via local access when attack requirements are present without special internal knowledge and requires active user interaction. The potential vulnerability may impact the confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (high) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (none), integrity (none) and availability (none) impacts.",
"id": "GHSA-ggh9-x24v-vpvf",
"modified": "2025-11-11T18:30:19Z",
"published": "2025-11-11T18:30:19Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-32001"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01334.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-GGMV-5GC5-HF2V
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-06-06 21:30 – Updated: 2025-06-06 21:30Action1 Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Action1. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.
The specific flaw exists within the configuration of OpenSSL. The product loads an OpenSSL configuration file from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-26767.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-5480"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2025-06-06T19:15:27Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Action1 Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Action1. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.\n\nThe specific flaw exists within the configuration of OpenSSL. The product loads an OpenSSL configuration file from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-26767.",
"id": "GHSA-ggmv-5gc5-hf2v",
"modified": "2025-06-06T21:30:27Z",
"published": "2025-06-06T21:30:27Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-5480"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.action1.com/blog/acknowledging-zdi-can-26767-high-severity-vulnerability-in-action1-agent"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-25-323"
}
],
"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-GGW3-7QWX-V9J9
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-03-09 00:00 – Updated: 2022-03-19 00:01Trend Micro Password Manager (Consumer) installer version 5.0.0.1262 and below is vulnerable to an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability that could allow an attacker to use a specially crafted file to exploit the vulnerability and escalate local privileges on the affected machine.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-26337"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-03-08T22:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Trend Micro Password Manager (Consumer) installer version 5.0.0.1262 and below is vulnerable to an Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerability that could allow an attacker to use a specially crafted file to exploit the vulnerability and escalate local privileges on the affected machine.",
"id": "GHSA-ggw3-7qwx-v9j9",
"modified": "2022-03-19T00:01:40Z",
"published": "2022-03-09T00:00:42Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-26337"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://helpcenter.trendmicro.com/en-us/article/tmka-10954"
}
],
"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-GH84-W4PF-V843
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-02-16 21:30 – Updated: 2023-02-28 21:30Uncontrolled search path element in the Intel(R) Distribution for Python programming language before version 2022.1 for Intel(R) oneAPI Toolkits may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-26032"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2023-02-16T20:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path element in the Intel(R) Distribution for Python programming language before version 2022.1 for Intel(R) oneAPI Toolkits may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-gh84-w4pf-v843",
"modified": "2023-02-28T21:30:18Z",
"published": "2023-02-16T21:30:27Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-26032"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00674.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-GJ25-C67G-2Q9V
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-04-12 00:00 – Updated: 2022-04-20 00:00Uncontrolled search path element vulnerability in Samsung Update prior to version 3.0.77.0 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code as Samsung Update permission.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-28541"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-04-11T20:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path element vulnerability in Samsung Update prior to version 3.0.77.0 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code as Samsung Update permission.",
"id": "GHSA-gj25-c67g-2q9v",
"modified": "2022-04-20T00:00:58Z",
"published": "2022-04-12T00:00:23Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-28541"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://security.samsungmobile.com/serviceWeb.smsb?year=2022\u0026month=4"
}
],
"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-GJ5X-V4QH-3C2G
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 19:04 – Updated: 2022-05-24 19:04Uncontrolled search path in the Intel(R) NUC M15 Laptop Kit Driver Pack software before updated version 1.1 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2021-0057"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2021-06-09T20:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled search path in the Intel(R) NUC M15 Laptop Kit Driver Pack software before updated version 1.1 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.",
"id": "GHSA-gj5x-v4qh-3c2g",
"modified": "2022-05-24T19:04:25Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T19:04:25Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-0057"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00507.html"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-GMC8-Q8C9-X758
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-03-26 12:31 – Updated: 2024-08-02 21:31EasyRange Ver 1.41 contains an issue with the executable file search path when displaying an extracted file on Explorer, which may lead to loading an executable file resides in the same folder where the extracted file is placed. If this vulnerability is exploited, arbitrary code may be executed with the privilege of the running program. Note that the developer was unreachable, therefore, users should consider stop using EasyRange Ver 1.41.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-28131"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2024-03-26T10:15:09Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "EasyRange Ver 1.41 contains an issue with the executable file search path when displaying an extracted file on Explorer, which may lead to loading an executable file resides in the same folder where the extracted file is placed. If this vulnerability is exploited, arbitrary code may be executed with the privilege of the running program. Note that the developer was unreachable, therefore, users should consider stop using EasyRange Ver 1.41.\n",
"id": "GHSA-gmc8-q8c9-x758",
"modified": "2024-08-02T21:31:33Z",
"published": "2024-03-26T12:31:27Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-28131"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN13113728/index.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-GMCP-V2JV-3QQ3
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-11-09 12:00 – Updated: 2022-11-09 19:02Uncontrolled Search Path Element in CLUSTERPRO X 5.0 for Windows and earlier, EXPRESSCLUSTER X 5.0 for Windows and earlier, CLUSTERPRO X 5.0 SingleServerSafe for Windows and earlier, EXPRESSCLUSTER X 5.0 SingleServerSafe for Windows and earlier allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to overwrite existing files on the file system and to potentially execute arbitrary code.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-34825"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-11-08T22:15:00Z",
"severity": "CRITICAL"
},
"details": "Uncontrolled Search Path Element in CLUSTERPRO X 5.0 for Windows and earlier, EXPRESSCLUSTER X 5.0 for Windows and earlier, CLUSTERPRO X 5.0 SingleServerSafe for Windows and earlier, EXPRESSCLUSTER X 5.0 SingleServerSafe for Windows and earlier allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to overwrite existing files on the file system and to potentially execute arbitrary code.",
"id": "GHSA-gmcp-v2jv-3qq3",
"modified": "2022-11-09T19:02:23Z",
"published": "2022-11-09T12:00:23Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-34825"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://jpn.nec.com/security-info/secinfo/nv22-014_en.html"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-GMG7-W8WV-J7V2
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-07-02 21:32 – Updated: 2026-07-06 18:30Notepad3 through 6.25.822.1 contains a DLL search-order hijacking vulnerability in the About-dialog code path in src/Notepad3.c. The application calls LoadLibrary(L"MSFTEDIT.DLL") with a bare DLL name, which allows a local attacker to place a malicious MSFTEDIT.DLL in the application directory or another preferred DLL search location and achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the user when the About dialog is opened.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2026-38972"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-07-02T21:16:56Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Notepad3 through 6.25.822.1 contains a DLL search-order hijacking vulnerability in the About-dialog code path in src/Notepad3.c. The application calls LoadLibrary(L\"MSFTEDIT.DLL\") with a bare DLL name, which allows a local attacker to place a malicious MSFTEDIT.DLL in the application directory or another preferred DLL search location and achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the user when the About dialog is opened.",
"id": "GHSA-gmg7-w8wv-j7v2",
"modified": "2026-07-06T18:30:42Z",
"published": "2026-07-02T21:32:16Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-38972"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/rizonesoft/Notepad3/issues/5605"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/rizonesoft/Notepad3/pull/5606"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/rizonesoft/Notepad3"
}
],
"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-GMR7-JHWX-3H3J
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-11-23 00:30 – Updated: 2022-11-28 18:30McAfee Total Protection prior to version 16.0.49 contains an uncontrolled search path element vulnerability due to the use of a variable pointing to a subdirectory that may be controllable by an unprivileged user. This may have allowed the unprivileged user to execute arbitrary code with system privileges.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-43751"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-427"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-11-23T00:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "McAfee Total Protection prior to version 16.0.49 contains an uncontrolled search path element vulnerability due to the use of a variable pointing to a subdirectory that may be controllable by an unprivileged user. This may have allowed the unprivileged user to execute arbitrary code with system privileges.",
"id": "GHSA-gmr7-jhwx-3h3j",
"modified": "2022-11-28T18:30:16Z",
"published": "2022-11-23T00:30:16Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-43751"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://mcafee.com"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.mcafee.com/support/?articleId=TS103348\u0026page=shell\u0026shell=article-view"
}
],
"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"
}
]
}
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.