Privilege Escalation
Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.
How It Works
Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted. The attack exploits the gap between what the system thinks a user can do and what they actually can do through manipulation or exploitation.
Vertical escalation is the classic form—a regular user obtaining administrator rights. This happens through kernel exploits that bypass OS-level security, misconfigurations in role-based access control (RBAC) that fail to enforce boundaries, or direct manipulation of authorization tokens and session data. Horizontal escalation involves accessing resources belonging to users at the same privilege level, typically through insecure direct object references (IDOR) where changing an ID in a request grants access to another user's data.
Context-dependent escalation exploits workflow logic by skipping authorization checkpoints. An attacker might access administrative URLs directly without going through proper authentication flows, manipulate parameters to bypass permission checks, or exploit REST API endpoints that don't validate method permissions—like a read-only GET permission that can be leveraged for write operations through protocol upgrades or alternative endpoints.
Impact
- Full system compromise through kernel-level exploits granting root or SYSTEM privileges
- Administrative control over applications, allowing configuration changes, user management, and deployment of malicious code
- Lateral movement across cloud infrastructure, containers, or network segments using escalated service account permissions
- Data exfiltration by accessing databases, file systems, or API endpoints restricted to higher privilege levels
- Persistence establishment through creation of backdoor accounts or modification of system configurations
Real-World Examples
Kubernetes clusters have been compromised through kubelet API misconfigurations where read-only GET permissions on worker nodes could be escalated to remote code execution. Attackers upgraded HTTP connections to WebSockets to access the /exec endpoint, gaining shell access to all pods on the node. This affected over 69 Helm charts including widely-deployed monitoring tools like Prometheus, Grafana, and Datadog agents.
Windows Print Spooler vulnerabilities (PrintNightmare class) allowed authenticated users to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges by exploiting improper privilege checks in the print service. Attackers loaded malicious DLLs through carefully crafted print jobs, escalating from low-privilege user accounts to full domain administrator access.
Cloud metadata services have been exploited where SSRF vulnerabilities combined with over-permissioned IAM roles allowed attackers to retrieve temporary credentials with elevated permissions, pivoting from compromised web applications to broader cloud infrastructure access.
Mitigation
- Enforce deny-by-default access control where permissions must be explicitly granted rather than implicitly allowed
- Implement consistent authorization checks at every layer—API gateway, application logic, and data access—never relying on client-side or single-point validation
- Apply principle of least privilege with time-limited, scope-restricted permissions and just-in-time access for administrative functions
- Audit permission inheritance and role assignments regularly to identify overly permissive configurations or privilege creep
- Separate execution contexts using containers, sandboxes, or capability-based security to limit blast radius
- Deploy runtime monitoring for unusual privilege usage patterns and anomalous access to restricted resources
Recent CVEs (14595)
Advanced Installer before 22.6 has an uncontrolled search path element local privilege escalation vulnerability. When running as SYSTEM in certain configurations, Advanced Installer looks in standard-user writable locations for non-existent binaries and executes them as SYSTEM. A low-privileged attacker can place a malicious binary in a targeted folder; when the installer is executed, the attacker achieves arbitrary SYSTEM code execution.
An low privileged remote attacker can enforce the watchdog of the affected devices to reboot the PLC due to incorrect default permissions of a config file.
An unauthenticated local attacker can inject a command that is subsequently executed as root, leading to a privilege escalation.
A low privileged local attacker can leverage insecure permissions via SSH on the affected devices to escalate privileges to root.
A local attacker with a local user account can leverage a vulnerable script via SSH to escalate privileges to root due to improper input validation.
In wlan AP driver, there is a possible out of bounds write due to an incorrect bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with User execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Patch ID: WCNCR00416939; Issue ID: MSV-3422.
In wlan AP driver, there is a possible out of bounds write due to an incorrect bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with User execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Patch ID: WCNCR00416938; Issue ID: MSV-3444.
In wlan AP driver, there is a possible out of bounds write due to an incorrect bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with User execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Patch ID: WCNCR00416937; Issue ID: MSV-3445.
In wlan AP driver, there is a possible out of bounds write due to an incorrect bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with User execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Patch ID: WCNCR00416936; Issue ID: MSV-3446.
In Bluetooth driver, there is a possible out of bounds write due to an incorrect bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with User execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Patch ID: WCNCR00418044; Issue ID: MSV-3482.
SAPCAR allows an attacker logged in with high privileges to override the permissions of the current and parent directories of the user or process extracting the archive, leading to privilege escalation. On successful exploitation, an attacker could modify the critical files by tampering with signed archives without breaking the signature, but it has a low impact on the confidentiality and availability of the system.
SAPCAR allows an attacker logged in with high privileges to create a malicious SAR archive in SAPCAR. This could enable the attacker to exploit critical files and directory permissions without breaking signature validation, resulting in potential privilege escalation. This has high impact on integrity, but low impact on confidentiality and availability of the system.
IBM Storage Virtualize 8.5, 8.6, and 8.7 products could allow a user to escalate their privileges to that of another user logging in at the same time due to a race condition in the login function.
Vulnerability that allows third-party call apps to send broadcasts without verification in the audio framework module Impact: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may affect availability.
Permission bypass vulnerability in the calendar storage module Impact: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may affect the schedule reminder function of head units.
Permission bypass vulnerability in the calendar storage module Impact: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may affect the schedule syncing function of watches.
The agent in Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) before 14.0.97 and 14.1.x before 14.1.19 potentially allows privilege escalation on managed systems.
Unprivileged attackers can gain administrative control of WordPress sites running InspiryThemes RealHomes up to version 4.4.0 by exploiting an incorrect privilege assignment vulnerability. No authentication or user interaction is required, leading to full site compromise with a CVSS 9.8 critical rating. While no active exploitation is known and EPSS probability is low, the flaw is reachable over the network if user registration is enabled.
SQL injection in the Click & Pledge Connect WordPress plugin allows unauthenticated attackers to escalate privileges and potentially compromise affected sites. The vulnerability exists in versions 25.04010101 through WP6.8 and carries a critical CVSS score due to its full technical impact and easy exploitability, though no public exploit or active exploitation has been observed.
Privilege escalation in Service Finder Booking plugin for WordPress allows unauthenticated attackers to gain full administrative control. This vulnerability, affecting all versions up to 6.0, arises from incorrect privilege assignment (CWE-266) and carries a CVSS score of 9.8, though EPSS indicates a low exploitation probability (0.08%) with no public exploit or active exploitation known.
The WP Human Resource Management plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation due to missing authorization in the ajax_insert_employee() and update_empoyee() functions in versions 2.0.0 through 2.2.17. The AJAX handler reads the client-supplied $_POST['role'] and, after basic cleaning via hrm_clean(), passes it directly to wp_insert_user() and later to $user->set_role() without verifying that the current user is allowed to assign that role. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Employee-level access and above, to elevate their privileges to administrator.
ASNA Assist and ASNA Registrar before 2025-03-31 allow deserialization attacks against .NET remoting. These are Windows system services that support license key management and deprecated Windows network authentication. The services are implemented with .NET remoting and can be exploited via well-known deserialization techniques inherent in the technology. Because the services run with SYSTEM-level rights, exploits can be crafted to achieve escalation of privilege and arbitrary code execution. This affects DataGate for SQL Server 17.0.36.0 and 16.0.89.0, DataGate Component Suite 17.0.36.0 and 16.0.89.0, DataGate Monitor 17.0.26.0 and 16.0.65.0, DataGate WebPak 17.0.37.0 and 16.0.90.0, Monarch for .NET 11.4.50.0 and 10.0.62.0, Encore RPG 4.1.36.0, Visual RPG .NET FW 17.0.37.0 and 16.0.90.0, Visual RPG .NET FW Windows Deployment 17.0.36.0 and 16.0.89.0, WingsRPG 11.0.38.0 and 10.0.95.0, Mobile RPG 11.0.35.0 and 10.0.94.0, Monarch Framework for .NET FW 11.0.36.0 and 10.0.89.0, Browser Terminal 17.0.37.0 and 16.0.90.0, Visual RPG Classic 5.2.7.0 and 5.1.17.0, Visual RPG Deployment 5.2.7.0 and 5.1.17.0, and DataGate Studio 17.0.38.0 and 16.0.104.0.
Secret Server version 11.7 and earlier is vulnerable to a SQL report creation vulnerability that allows an administrator to gain access to restricted tables.
A security vulnerability in capabilities (CVSS 6.4). Remediation should follow standard vulnerability management procedures.
In Tenable Nessus versions prior to 10.8.5 on a Windows host, it was found that a non-administrative user could overwrite arbitrary local system files with log content at SYSTEM privilege.
The Opal Estate Pro - Property Management and Submission plugin for WordPress, used by the FullHouse - Real Estate Responsive WordPress Theme, is vulnerable to privilege escalation via in all versions up to, and including, 1.7.5. This is due to a lack of role restriction during registration in the 'on_regiser_user' function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to arbitrarily choose the role, including the Administrator role, assigned when registering.
Several services in Honor Device Co., Ltd Honor PC Manager v16.0.0.118 was discovered to connect services to the named pipe iMateBookAssistant with default or overly permissive security attributes, leading to a privilege escalation.
A Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) leading to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the UCRM Client Signup Plugin (v1.3.4 and earlier) could allow privilege escalation if an Administrator is tricked into visiting a crafted malicious page. The plugin is disabled by default.
The PT Project Notebooks plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation due to missing authorization in the wpnb_pto_new_users_add() function in versions 1.0.0 through 1.1.3. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to elevate their privileges to that of an administrator.
The Nix, Lix, and Guix package managers default to using temporary build directories in a world-readable and world-writable location. This allows standard users to deceive the package manager into using directories with pre-existing content, potentially leading to unauthorized actions or data manipulation. This affects Nix before 2.24.15, 2.26.4, 2.28.4, and 2.29.1; Lix before 2.91.2, 2.92.2, and 2.93.1; and Guix before 1.4.0-38.0e79d5b.
Privilege escalation in the CouponXxL Custom Post Types WordPress plugin (version ≤3.0) allows unauthenticated attackers to gain higher-level permissions due to incorrect privilege assignment. No active exploitation or public exploit code is known; EPSS predicts a 0.08 % probability of exploitation activity.
Missing authorization checks in the WPKit For Elementor WordPress plugin (versions ≤ 1.1.0) allow unauthenticated attackers to escalate privileges via crafted requests that modify arbitrary WordPress options. The vulnerability requires user interaction and can lead to privilege escalation without user awareness. No active exploitation is confirmed, and EPSS indicates a very low exploitation probability (0.09%).
The DWT - Directory & Listing WordPress Theme theme for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation via account takeover in all versions up to, and including, 3.3.6. This is due to the plugin not properly checking for an empty token value prior to resetting a user's password through the dwt_listing_reset_password() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to change arbitrary user's passwords, including administrators, and leverage that to gain access to their account.
An issue in NetEase (Hangzhou) Network Co., Ltd NeacSafe64 Driver before v1.0.0.8 allows attackers to escalate privileges via sending crafted IOCTL commands to the NeacSafe64.sys component.
Ceph is a distributed object, block, and file storage platform. In versions 17.2.7, 18.2.1 through 18.2.4, and 19.0.0 through 19.2.2, an unprivileged user can escalate to root privileges in a ceph-fuse mounted CephFS by chmod 777 a directory owned by root to gain access. The result of this is that a user could read, write and execute to any directory owned by root as long as they chmod 777 it. This impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It is patched in versions 17.2.8, 18.2.5, and 19.2.3.
pdns specific as packaged in Debian in version before 3.3.1-1 creates a too privileged MySQL user. It was discovered that the maintainer scripts of pdns-backend-mysql grant too wide database permissions for the pdns user. Other backends are not affected.
Canon EOS Webcam Utility Pro for MAC OS version 2.3d (2.3.29) and earlier contains an improper directory permissions vulnerability. Exploitation of this vulnerability requires administrator access by a malicious user. An attacker could modify the directory, potentially resulting in code execution and ultimately leading to privilege escalation.
File Browser provides a file managing interface within a specified directory and it can be used to upload, delete, preview, rename and edit files. The file access permissions for files uploaded to or created from File Browser are never explicitly set by the application. The same is true for the database used by File Browser. On standard servers using File Browser prior to version 2.33.7 where the umask configuration has not been hardened before, this makes all the stated files readable by any operating system account. Version 2.33.7 fixes the issue.
A potential security vulnerability has been identified in HPE OneView for VMware vCenter (OV4VC). This vulnerability could be exploited allowing an attacker with read only privilege to cause Vertical Privilege Escalation (operator can perform admin actions).
Privilege escalation in the Simple User Registration plugin for WordPress up to version 6.3 allows unauthenticated attackers to register as administrators by sending crafted user meta values. A publicly available exploit exists, and the EPSS score of 29.28% indicates a high likelihood of exploitation, though it has not yet been added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Successful exploitation grants full control over the affected WordPress site.
CVE-2025-5834 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Pioneer DMH-WT7600NEX infotainment systems caused by a missing hardware root of trust in the SoC configuration. An attacker with local access and valid authentication credentials can bypass the existing authentication mechanism and execute arbitrary code during boot with elevated privileges. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High) and was previously tracked as ZDI-CAN-26078; exploitation likelihood and active exploitation status depend on public POC availability and EPSS scoring.
CVE-2025-5822 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in the Autel MaxiCharger AC Wallbox Commercial Technician API that allows authenticated attackers to escalate from low-privileged users to higher privilege levels, potentially gaining unauthorized access to administrative functions and sensitive charging station data. The vulnerability requires an attacker to first obtain a valid low-privileged API token, after which they can bypass authorization controls to access restricted resources. With a CVSS score of 8.8 and network-accessible attack vector, this represents a significant risk to commercial EV charging infrastructure.
CVE-2025-52890 is a network-layer security bypass in Incus 6.12 and 6.13 where improper nftables rule generation on bridge-connected ACL devices allows attackers to circumvent MAC filtering, IPv4 filtering, and IPv6 filtering security controls. This enables ARP spoofing and full VM/container impersonation on the same bridge. The vulnerability requires administrative privilege and local network access but results in high confidentiality and availability impact across the container/VM infrastructure.
CVE-2025-20282 is a critical remote code execution vulnerability in Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC that allows unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files to privileged directories and execute them as root via an internal API lacking file validation. This is a CVSS 10.0 vulnerability with complete system compromise impact; organizations running affected Cisco ISE deployments face immediate risk of total infrastructure takeover without authentication requirements or user interaction.
CVE-2025-49797 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in multiple Brother device driver installers for Windows that allows a local attacker with limited user privileges to execute arbitrary code with administrative rights without user interaction. The vulnerability affects various Brother printer and multifunction device driver packages across multiple versions. While the CVSS score of 7.8 indicates significant severity, real-world exploitability depends on whether an attacker has local access to a system during driver installation or can manipulate installer processes.
CVE-2025-36004 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in IBM Facsimile Support for i affecting IBM i 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5. The vulnerability stems from an unqualified library call that allows authenticated users to execute arbitrary code with administrator privileges. With a CVSS score of 8.8 and network accessibility, this represents a critical privilege escalation risk for organizations running affected IBM i systems.
CVE-2025-32976 is a security vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) that allows authenticated users. High severity vulnerability requiring prompt remediation.
A vulnerability exists in MicroSCADA X SYS600 product. If exploited this could allow a local unauthenticated attacker to tamper a system file, making denial of Notify service.
Successful exploitation of the stored cross-site scripting vulnerability could allow an attacker to inject malicious scripts into device fields and executed in other users’ browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, defacement, credential theft, or privilege escalation.
A privilege escalation vulnerability (CVSS 9.6) that allows an unauthenticated attacker. Risk factors: public PoC available.
CVE-2025-49144 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in Notepad++ v8.8.1 and earlier that exploits insecure executable search paths in the installer to allow unprivileged local users to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker can leverage social engineering to colocate a malicious executable with the legitimate installer in a writable directory (e.g., Downloads), and upon installer execution, the malicious payload runs with elevated privileges. The vulnerability is fixed in version 8.8.2.
A vulnerability exists in the NodeRestriction admission controller where nodes can bypass dynamic resource allocation authorization checks. When the DynamicResourceAllocation feature gate is enabled, the controller properly validates resource claim statuses during pod status updates but fails to perform equivalent validation during pod creation. This allows a compromised node to create mirror pods that access unauthorized dynamic resources, potentially leading to privilege escalation.
A privilege escalation vulnerability in Sensopart VISOR Vision Sensors (CVSS 8.4) that allows local users. High severity vulnerability requiring prompt remediation.
CVE-2025-6513 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the BRAIN2 application where standard Windows users can access and decrypt the application's database configuration file without authentication. This allows unprivileged local users to obtain database credentials and potentially compromise sensitive data, with a CVSS score of 9.3 indicating critical severity. The vulnerability affects system confidentiality, integrity, and availability across trust boundaries.
CVE-2025-6512 is a critical privilege escalation vulnerability in BRAIN2 where unauthenticated attackers can inject malicious scripts into reports on non-admin client systems, which are then executed with administrator privileges on the BRAIN2 server. This represents a complete system compromise with CVSS 10.0 severity, affecting all users regardless of their local privilege level. No authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, making it immediately exploitable in network environments.
GitLab CE/EE contains a missing authorization check (CWE-862) in its compliance frameworks feature that allows authenticated users with limited privileges to apply compliance frameworks to projects outside the intended scope of the framework's group, potentially affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This vulnerability affects GitLab versions 17.11 before 17.11.4 and 18.0 before 18.0.2. The CVSS 8.5 score reflects high severity due to the scope change and multiple impact categories, though exploitation requires low-level user authentication and higher-than-typical attack complexity.
A privilege escalation vulnerability in Rameez Iqbal Real Estate Manager allows Privilege Escalation (CVSS 8.8). High severity vulnerability requiring prompt remediation.
The Beaver Builder Plugin (Starter Version) for WordPress contains an arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the 'save_enabled_icons' function due to missing file type validation, affecting all versions up to and including 2.9.1. Authenticated attackers with Administrator-level access can upload arbitrary files to the server, potentially enabling remote code execution. The vulnerability was only partially patched in version 2.9.1, indicating residual risk in the latest release.
The Postbox's configuration on macOS, specifically the presence of entitlements: "com.apple.security.cs.allow-dyld-environment-variables" and "com.apple.security.cs.disable-library-validation" allows for Dynamic Library (Dylib) injection. A local attacker with unprivileged access can use environment variables like DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES to successfully inject code in application's context and bypass Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC). Acquired resource access is limited to previously granted permissions by the user. Access to other resources beyond granted-permissions requires user interaction with a system prompt asking for permission. The original company behind Postbox is no longer operational, the software will no longer receive updates. The acquiring company (em Client) did not cooperate in vulnerability disclosure.
The Phoenix Code's configuration on macOS, specifically the presence of entitlements: "com.apple.security.cs.allow-dyld-environment-variables" and "com.apple.security.cs.disable-library-validation" allows for Dynamic Library (Dylib) injection. A local attacker with unprivileged access can use environment variables like DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES to successfully inject code in application's context and bypass Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC). Acquired resource access is limited to previously granted permissions by the user. Access to other resources beyond granted-permissions requires user interaction with a system prompt asking for permission. This issue was fixed in commit 0c75fb57f89d0b7d9b180026bc2624b7dcf807da
Velociraptor allows collection of VQL queries packaged into Artifacts from endpoints. These artifacts can be used to do anything and usually run with elevated permissions. To limit access to some dangerous artifact, Velociraptor allows for those to require high permissions like EXECVE to launch. The Admin.Client.UpdateClientConfig is an artifact used to update the client's configuration. This artifact did not enforce an additional required permission, allowing users with COLLECT_CLIENT permissions (normally given by the "Investigator" role) to collect it from endpoints and update the configuration. This can lead to arbitrary command execution and endpoint takeover. To successfully exploit this vulnerability the user must already have access to collect artifacts from the endpoint (i.e. have the COLLECT_CLIENT given typically by the "Investigator' role).
IBM QRadar SIEM versions 7.5 through 7.5.0 Update Package 12 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows authenticated administrative users to modify configuration files and upload malicious autoupdate packages, leading to arbitrary command execution with system-level privileges. This is a high-severity vulnerability (CVSS 9.1) affecting SIEM infrastructure; while it requires high privileges (PR:H), the network-accessible attack vector (AV:N) and lack of user interaction (UI:N) make it a significant risk in multi-user enterprise environments where administrative credentials may be compromised or misused.
Local privilege escalation vulnerability in libblockdev that allows an unprivileged user with Polkit 'allow_active' permissions to escalate to root privileges by crafting a malicious XFS filesystem image and exploiting udisks' mounting behavior. The vulnerability affects users with active session permissions on systems running vulnerable libblockdev versions, enabling complete system compromise through execution of SUID-root binaries embedded in specially crafted disk images. While carrying a moderate CVSS score of 7.0, the attack requires local access and user interaction with filesystem resizing operations, limiting real-world exploitation scope.
The AI Engine WordPress plugin (versions 2.8.0-2.8.3) contains a missing capability check in the 'Meow_MWAI_Labs_MCP::can_access_mcp' function, allowing authenticated subscribers and above to access the Model Context Protocol (MCP) interface and execute arbitrary WordPress administrative commands. This enables privilege escalation, unauthorized user creation/modification, and data destruction through post and comment manipulation. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High) and poses immediate risk to any WordPress installation running affected versions with user registration enabled.
Privilege escalation vulnerability in backup management systems that permits authenticated users with the Backup Operator role to modify backup job configurations and execute arbitrary code with system privileges. The vulnerability affects backup software implementations that fail to properly validate backup job modifications; attackers must possess valid Backup Operator credentials but face no additional complexity once authenticated. This vulnerability is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog, but the high CVSS score of 7.2 and code execution capability indicate significant risk to organizations managing sensitive backup infrastructure.
CVE-2025-23172 is an authenticated Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in Versa Director SD-WAN orchestration platform that allows authenticated users with high privileges to abuse the Webhook feature to send crafted HTTP requests to localhost endpoints. This can be exploited to execute arbitrary commands on behalf of the 'versa' user who holds sudo privileges, resulting in potential remote code execution and privilege escalation. While no active exploitation has been reported in the wild, a proof-of-concept has been publicly disclosed, presenting an elevated risk for organizations running vulnerable Versa Director instances.
Privilege escalation vulnerability in IBM webMethods Integration Server affecting versions 10.5, 10.7, 10.11, and 10.15, where a privileged user can escalate their privileges when the system handles external entities due to unnecessary privilege execution. With a CVSS score of 7.2 and high impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability, this vulnerability requires administrative credentials to exploit but provides complete system compromise potential. No public confirmation of active exploitation (KEV status) or proof-of-concept availability is evident, making this a moderate-to-high priority based on the barrier to entry (privileged user requirement) despite the severe impact if exploited.
The Pixabay Images plugin for WordPress versions up to 3.4 contains an arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the pixabay_upload function due to missing file type validation. Authenticated attackers with Author-level access or higher can upload arbitrary files to the server, potentially enabling remote code execution. This vulnerability has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High) and represents a significant risk to WordPress installations using this plugin.
conda-smithy is a tool for combining a conda recipe with configurations to build using freely hosted CI services into a single repository. Prior to version 3.47.1, the travis_headers function in the conda-smithy repository creates files with permissions exceeding 0o600, allowing read and write access beyond the intended user/owner. This violates the principle of least privilege, which mandates restricting file permissions to the minimum necessary. An attacker could exploit this to access configuration files in shared hosting environments. This issue has been patched in version 3.47.1.
Local privilege escalation vulnerability in Trend Micro Security 17.8 (Consumer) that exploits insecure link following to allow a low-privileged local attacker to delete privileged Trend Micro files, potentially compromising the security product's integrity. With a CVSS score of 7.8 and low attack complexity (AC:L), this vulnerability poses a significant risk to consumer systems where privilege escalation could disable or corrupt critical security components. No active exploitation (KEV status) or public POC has been reported at this time, but the low barrier to exploitation (local access with low privileges required) warrants prompt patching.
Local privilege escalation vulnerability in Trend Micro Security 17.8 (Consumer) that exploits improper link following (symlink/junction attack) to allow a low-privileged local attacker to delete privileged Trend Micro system files without user interaction. This vulnerability carries a CVSS 7.8 high severity rating due to high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability; however, real-world exploitability depends on KEV status, EPSS probability data, and proof-of-concept availability, which are not provided in the available intelligence.
Post-authentication SQL injection vulnerability in Trend Micro Endpoint Encryption PolicyServer that allows low-privileged authenticated users to escalate privileges through SQL injection attacks. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.7 (high severity) with significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. While this is a post-auth vulnerability requiring initial low-privileged code execution, successful exploitation enables privilege escalation, making it a critical concern for organizations running affected PolicyServer instances.
Critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Trend Micro Endpoint Encryption PolicyServer that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to gain administrative access and modify product configurations without valid credentials. The vulnerability has a CVSS 9.8 score indicating severe impact (confidentiality, integrity, and availability compromised), and represents a complete authentication control failure requiring immediate patching.
Post-authentication SQL injection vulnerability in Trend Micro Endpoint Encryption PolicyServer that enables authenticated attackers to escalate privileges and achieve full system compromise (confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact). The vulnerability requires an attacker to first obtain low-privileged code execution on the target system before exploiting the SQL injection to escalate to administrative privileges. With a CVSS score of 8.8 and network accessibility, this represents a significant risk to organizations running vulnerable PolicyServer instances, particularly in environments where initial compromise vectors (phishing, lateral movement, supply chain) are plausible.
Post-authentication insecure deserialization vulnerability in Trend Micro Endpoint Encryption PolicyServer that allows remote code execution with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. While the CVSS score of 8.8 is significant, exploitation requires prior low-privileged code execution on the target system, substantially reducing real-world attack surface compared to unauthenticated network exploits. The vulnerability affects Trend Micro Endpoint Encryption installations and should be prioritized based on organizational exposure to this specific product line and internal threat modeling of low-privileged account compromise scenarios.
SQL injection vulnerability in Trend Micro Endpoint Encryption PolicyServer that enables privilege escalation on affected systems. The vulnerability requires an attacker to first obtain low-privileged code execution on the target system, after which SQL injection can be leveraged to escalate privileges and gain high-impact access (confidentiality compromise, integrity violation, availability disruption). With a CVSS score of 7.7 and local attack vector, this poses a significant risk to organizations running vulnerable PolicyServer instances, particularly in multi-user environments or where low-privileged service accounts are present.
Trend Micro Password Manager (Consumer) version 5.0.0.1266 and below is vulnerable to a Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability that could allow a local attacker to leverage this vulnerability to delete files in the context of an administrator when the administrator installs Trend Micro Password Manager.
Link following (symlink) vulnerability in Trend Micro Deep Security 20.0 agent's anti-malware component that enables local privilege escalation. An attacker with low-privileged code execution can exploit this to gain elevated system privileges (confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact). While no public exploit or active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed, the CVSS 7.8 score and low attack complexity indicate this poses a significant risk to organizations running vulnerable versions.
Link following vulnerability (symlink attack) in Trend Micro Deep Security 20.0 agents that enables local privilege escalation on affected systems. An attacker with low-privileged code execution capability can exploit this flaw to gain high-level system access. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.8 with high impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability; KEV and POC status are not confirmed in available data, but the low attack complexity and low privilege requirement indicate moderate real-world risk once initial code execution is obtained.
An uncontrolled search path vulnerability in the Trend Micro Apex One security agent could allow a local attacker to escalation privileges on affected installations. Please note: an attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.
Privilege escalation vulnerability in Trend Micro Apex One's Damage Cleanup Engine that exploits improper link following (CWE-269), allowing local attackers with low-privilege code execution to escalate to higher privileges. The vulnerability requires initial code execution on the target system but presents significant risk due to its high CVSS score (7.8) and likely real-world exploitability given the common prevalence of local code execution vectors in enterprise environments.
Privilege escalation vulnerability in Trend Micro Apex One's scan engine that exploits improper link handling to allow local attackers to escalate privileges. The vulnerability affects Trend Micro Apex One installations and requires an attacker to first obtain low-privileged code execution on the target system. While no active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed at this time, the CVSS score of 7.0 indicates a high-severity local privilege escalation risk for organizations running vulnerable versions.
CVE-2025-49154 is an insecure access control vulnerability (CWE-284) in Trend Micro Apex One and Worry-Free Business Security that allows a local attacker with low-privileged code execution to overwrite critical memory-mapped files, potentially compromising system security and stability. With a CVSS score of 8.7 and low attack complexity, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to enterprise security postures, though exploitation requires prior code execution access. No active KEV confirmation or public POC availability is documented in standard vulnerability databases at this time.
A privilege escalation vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) that allows a user. High severity vulnerability requiring prompt remediation.
Local privilege escalation vulnerability in Citrix Workspace app for Windows that allows low-privileged users to gain SYSTEM-level privileges through an improper privilege management flaw (CWE-269). The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High) with low attack complexity and no user interaction required, making it a significant local threat. Status of KEV inclusion, active exploitation, and proof-of-concept availability cannot be confirmed from provided data, but the combination of high CVSS and local attack vector suggests meaningful real-world risk for organizations running Citrix Workspace on Windows endpoints.
Critical privilege escalation vulnerability in FreeIPA that allows authenticated users with high privileges to create Kerberos services with the same canonical name (krbCanonicalName) as the realm administrator, enabling them to obtain administrative credentials. The vulnerability affects FreeIPA default configurations where uniqueness validation is not enforced, allowing attackers to retrieve Kerberos tickets with admin@REALM credentials and perform unrestricted administrative operations. With a CVSS 9.1 score and network-accessible attack vector, this represents a severe threat to FreeIPA-based identity infrastructures, particularly in environments where service creation permissions are delegated or insufficiently restricted.
conda-forge-webservices is the web app deployed to run conda-forge admin commands and linting. Prior to version 2025.3.24, the conda_forge_webservice Docker container executes commands without specifying a user. By default, Docker containers run as the root user, which increases the risk of privilege escalation and host compromise if a vulnerability is exploited. This issue has been patched in version 2025.3.24.
Local privilege escalation vulnerability in Citrix Secure Access Client for Windows that allows an authenticated, low-privileged user to escalate their privileges to SYSTEM level without user interaction. The vulnerability affects the Citrix Secure Access Client application on Windows systems and represents a critical threat to enterprise environments where this client is deployed, as successful exploitation grants complete system control. The CVSS 7.8 score and confirmed local attack vector indicate this is a material risk for any organization using this software, though exploitation requires prior local access to an affected system.
Conda-build versions prior to 25.4.0 are vulnerable to path traversal (Tarslip) attacks that allow unauthenticated remote attackers to write arbitrary files outside intended extraction directories by crafting malicious tar archives with directory traversal sequences. This critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) affects all users and systems utilizing conda-build for package compilation, with potential for privilege escalation and code execution depending on target file locations and system permissions.
Critical permissions bypass vulnerability in Google Chrome OS 16181.27.0 that allows local attackers to disable extensions and gain unauthorized access to Developer Mode on managed Chrome devices. The vulnerability is exploited using the ExtHang3r and ExtPrint3r tools to load arbitrary extensions, affecting enterprise-managed deployments with a CVSS score of 9.8 (critical severity). Active exploitation status and proof-of-concept availability should be verified through CISA KEV and security advisories.
Quick Facts
- Typical Severity
- HIGH
- Category
- auth
- Total CVEs
- 14595