Untrusted Search Path

The application's installer runs with elevated privileges but resolves system executables and DLLs using untrusted search paths that can include user-writable directories, allowing a local attacker to place malicious binaries with the same names and have them loaded or executed instead of the legitimate system files, resulting in local privilege escalation.Show less

A security flaw has been discovered in UltraVNC up to 1.6.4.0. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality in the library version.dll of the component Service. The manipulation results in uncontrolled search path. The attack needs to be approached locally. This attack is characterized by high complexity. The exploitation is known to be difficult. The exploit has been released to the public and may be used for attacks. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.Show less

A weakness has been identified in Flos Freeware Notepad2 4.2.25. This impacts an unknown function in the library TextShaping.dll. Executing a manipulation can lead to uncontrolled search path. The attack is restricted to local execution. The attack requires a high level of complexity. The exploitability is said to be difficult. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.Show less

A security flaw has been discovered in Flos Freeware Notepad2 4.2.25. This affects an unknown function in the library PROPSYS.dll. Performing a manipulation results in uncontrolled search path. The attack is only possible with local access. The attack is considered to have high complexity. The exploitability is reported as difficult. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.Show less

ScreenToGif is a screen recording tool. In versions from 2.42.1 and prior, ScreenToGif is vulnerable to DLL sideloading via version.dll . When the portable executable is run from a user-writable directory, it loads version.dll from the application directory instead of the Windows System32 directory, allowing arbitrary code execution in the user's context. This is especially impactful because ScreenToGif is primarily distributed as a portable application intended to be run from user-writable locations. At time of publication, there are no publicly available patches.Show less

Greenshot is an open source Windows screenshot utility. Versions 1.3.312 and below have untrusted executable search path / binary hijacking vulnerability that allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code when the affected Windows application launches explorer.exe without using an absolute path. The vulnerable behavior is triggered when the user double-clicks the application’s tray icon, which opens the directory containing the most recent screenshot captured by the application. By placing a malicious executable with the same name in a location searched prior to the legitimate Windows binary, an attacker can gain code execution in the context of the application. This issue did not have a patch at the time of publication.Show less

OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.22 contain an arbitrary shell execution vulnerability in shell environment fallback that trusts the unvalidated SHELL path from the host environment. An attacker with local environment access can inject a malicious SHELL variable to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the OpenClaw process.Show less

OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.22 on macOS contain a path validation bypass vulnerability in the exec-approval allowlist mode that allows local attackers to execute unauthorized binaries by exploiting basename-only allowlist entries. Attackers can execute same-name local binaries ./echo without approval when security=allowlist and ask=on-miss are configured, bypassing intended path-based policy restrictions.Show less

OpenClaw versions 2026.1.21 prior to 2026.2.19 contain a path hijacking vulnerability in tools.exec.safeBins that allows attackers to bypass allowlist checks by controlling process PATH resolution. Attackers who can influence the gateway process PATH or launch environment can execute trojan binaries with allowlisted names, such as jq, circumventing executable validation controls.Show less

OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.24 contain a policy bypass vulnerability in the safeBins allowlist evaluation that trusts static default directories including writable package-manager paths like /opt/homebrew/bin and /usr/local/bin. An attacker with write access to these trusted directories can place a malicious binary with the same name as an allowed executable to achieve arbitrary command execution within the OpenClaw runtime context.Show less

Illustrator versions 29.8.4, 30.1 and earlier are affected by an Untrusted Search Path vulnerability that might allow attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.Show less

A weakness has been identified in UltraVNC 1.6.4.0 on Windows. This affects an unknown function in the library cryptbase.dll of the component Windows Service. This manipulation causes uncontrolled search path. The attack requires local access. A high degree of complexity is needed for the attack. The exploitability is reported as difficult. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.Show less

TimescaleDB is a time-series database for high-performance real-time analytics packaged as a Postgres extension. From version 2.23.0 to 2.25.1, PostgreSQL uses the search_path setting to locate unqualified database objects (tables, functions, operators). If the search_path includes user-writable schemas a malicious user can create functions in that schema that shadow builtin postgres functions and will be called instead of the postgres functions leading to arbitrary code execution during extension upgrade. This issue has been patched in version 2.25.2.Show less

Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. An Unsafe Search Path vulnerability (CWE-426) exists in versions prior to 8.9.2 when launching Windows Explorer without an absolute executable path. This may allow execution of a malicious explorer.exe if an attacker can control the process working directory. Under certain conditions, this could lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the running application. Version 8.9.2 patches the issue.Show less

A weakness has been identified in Total VPN 0.5.29.0 on Windows. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file C:\Program Files\Total VPN\win-service.exe. Executing a manipulation can lead to unquoted search path. It is possible to launch the attack on the local host. This attack is characterized by high complexity. The exploitation appears to be difficult. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.Show less

A security flaw has been discovered in Flos Freeware Notepad2 4.2.22/4.2.23/4.2.24/4.2.25. Affected is an unknown function in the library Msimg32.dll. Performing a manipulation results in uncontrolled search path. Attacking locally is a requirement. The attack's complexity is rated as high. The exploitability is told to be difficult. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.Show less

A vulnerability was identified in Unidocs ezPDF DRM Reader and ezPDF Reader 2.0/3.0.0.4. This affects an unknown part in the library SHFOLDER.dll. Such manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. The attack needs to be performed locally. Attacks of this nature are highly complex. It is indicated that the exploitability is difficult. The exploit is publicly available and might be used. Upgrading the affected component is recommended. The vendor explains: "[W]e have already addressed similar DLL search path vulnerability patterns through prior security updates. (...) Users are advised to use the latest version provided by the vendor."Show less