Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorNVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Lifecycle Timeline
3DescriptionCVE.org
A DLL hijacking vulnerability in Wassimulator (GitHub) CactusViewer v2.3.0 allows attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code via a crafted DLL.
AnalysisAI
Local privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution in Wassimulator CactusViewer v2.3.0 (Windows) occurs through DLL hijacking, where the application loads a malicious DLL from a writable directory instead of the legitimate library. Exploitation requires user interaction to launch the application after an attacker plants the crafted DLL, and no public exploit identified at time of analysis. EPSS rates exploitation probability at just 0.02% (5th percentile), reflecting the niche user base of this open-source image viewer.
Technical ContextAI
CactusViewer is an open-source image viewer distributed as a standalone Windows executable (CactusViewer.exe) via GitHub releases. The root cause maps to CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element), a class of bug where Windows applications resolve DLL dependencies using the default search order - which includes the application's working directory and other writable paths - without specifying fully qualified paths or using SetDefaultDllDirectories/SafeDllSearchMode hardening. An attacker who can place a malicious DLL with the expected name in a directory earlier in the search order than the legitimate one causes the loader to map and execute attacker-controlled code in the process. The referenced issue (#65) on the project's GitHub appears to be the disclosure thread for this flaw.
RemediationAI
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis - the linked GitHub issue (https://github.com/Wassimulator/CactusViewer/issues/65) appears to be the open disclosure thread and no fixed release is referenced in the available data. As compensating controls, organizations should remove CactusViewer v2.3.0 from endpoints if it is not business-critical, since this is a hobbyist viewer with limited operational value. If retention is required, run the application only from a directory where standard users lack write permissions (e.g., Program Files rather than Downloads or a user-writable folder), which prevents low-privilege attackers from planting a hijack DLL alongside the binary. Application-control policies (Windows Defender Application Control, AppLocker) can block unsigned DLL loads from user-writable paths, though this may break applications that legitimately load DLLs that way. Monitor the upstream repository for a fixed release before redeploying.
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Same weakness CWE-427 – Uncontrolled Search Path Element
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External POC / Exploit Code
Leaving vuln.today
EUVD-2026-34098
GHSA-8vxw-prwx-j95w