Git for Windows is the Windows port of the revision control system Git. Prior to Git for Windows version 2.39.2, by carefully crafting DLL and putting into a subdirectory of a specific name living next to the Git for Windows installer, Windows can be tricked into side-loading said DLL. This potentially allows users with local write access to place malicious payloads in a location where automated upgrades might run the Git for Windows installer with elevation. Version 2.39.2 contains a patch for this issue. Some workarounds are available. Never leave untrusted files in the Downloads folder or its sub-folders before executing the Git for Windows installer, or move the installer into a different directory before executing it.

Git for Windows is the Windows port of the revision control system Git. Prior to Git for Windows version 2.39.2, when `gitk` is run on Windows, it potentially runs executables from the current directory inadvertently, which can be exploited with some social engineering to trick users into running untrusted code. A patch is available in version 2.39.2. As a workaround, avoid using `gitk` (or Git GUI's "Visualize History" functionality) in clones of untrusted repositories.

Git GUI is a convenient graphical tool that comes with Git for Windows. Its target audience is users who are uncomfortable with using Git on the command-line. Git GUI has a function to clone repositories. Immediately after the local clone is available, Git GUI will automatically post-process it, among other things running a spell checker called `aspell.exe` if it was found. Git GUI is implemented as a Tcl/Tk script. Due to the unfortunate design of Tcl on Windows, the search path when looking for an executable _always includes the current directory_. Therefore, malicious repositories can ship with an `aspell.exe` in their top-level directory which is executed by Git GUI without giving the user a chance to inspect it first, i.e. running untrusted code. This issue has been addressed in version 2.39.1. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should avoid using Git GUI for cloning. If that is not a viable option, at least avoid cloning from untrusted sources.

Multiple untrusted search path vulnerabilities in Putty beta 0.67 allow local users to execute arbitrary code and conduct DLL hijacking attacks via a Trojan horse (1) UxTheme.dll or (2) ntmarta.dll file in the current working directory.

A code-execution vulnerability exists during startup in jhi.dll and otpiha.dll in Symantec VIP Access Desktop before 2.2.2, which could let local malicious users execute arbitrary code.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the HGFS (aka Shared Folders) feature in VMware Tools 10.0.5 in VMware ESXi 5.0 through 6.0, VMware Workstation Pro 12.1.x before 12.1.1, VMware Workstation Player 12.1.x before 12.1.1, and VMware Fusion 8.1.x before 8.1.1 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in the current working directory.

The Nextcloud Desktop Client is a tool to synchronize files from Nextcloud Server with a computer. The Nextcloud Desktop Client invokes its uninstaller script when being installed to make sure there are no remnants of previous installations. In versions 3.0.3 through 3.2.4, the Client searches the `Uninstall.exe` file in a folder that can be written by regular users. This could lead to a case where a malicious user creates a malicious `Uninstall.exe`, which would be executed with administrative privileges on the Nextcloud Desktop Client installation. This issue is fixed in Nextcloud Desktop Client version 3.3.0. As a workaround, do not allow untrusted users to create content in the `C:\` system folder and verify that there is no malicious `C:\Uninstall.exe` file on the system.

An issue was discovered in Foxit PhantomPDF before 8.3.6. It has an untrusted search path that allows a DLL to execute remote code.

SupportAssist Client version 3.8 and 3.9 contains an Untrusted search path vulnerability that allows attackers to load an arbitrary .dll file via .dll planting/hijacking, only by a separate administrative action that is not a default part of the SOSInstallerTool.exe installation for executing arbitrary dll's,

An issue in Clementine v.1.3.1 allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code via a crafted DLL file.

Hirschmann Industrial HiVision version 08.1.03 prior to 08.1.04 and 08.2.00 contains a vulnerability in the execution of user-configured external applications that allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary binaries. Due to insufficient path sanitization, an attacker can place a malicious binary in the execution path of a configured external application, causing it to be executed instead of the intended application. This can result in execution with elevated privileges depending on the context of the external application.

In Python before 3.10.3 on Windows, local users can gain privileges because the search path is inadequately secured. The installer may allow a local attacker to add user-writable directories to the system search path. To exploit, an administrator must have installed Python for all users and enabled PATH entries. A non-administrative user can trigger a repair that incorrectly adds user-writable paths into PATH, enabling search-path hijacking of other users and system services. This affects Python (CPython) through 3.7.12, 3.8.x through 3.8.12, 3.9.x through 3.9.10, and 3.10.x through 3.10.2.

On Windows, if Git LFS operates on a malicious repository with a `..exe` file as well as a file named `git.exe`, and `git.exe` is not found in `PATH`, the `..exe` program will be executed, permitting the attacker to execute arbitrary code. This does not affect Unix systems. Similarly, if the malicious repository contains files named `..exe` and `cygpath.exe`, and `cygpath.exe` is not found in `PATH`, the `..exe` program will be executed when certain Git LFS commands are run. More generally, if the current working directory contains any file with a base name of `.` and a file extension from `PATHEXT` (except `.bat` and `.cmd`), and also contains another file with the same base name as a program Git LFS intends to execute (such as `git`, `cygpath`, or `uname`) and any file extension from `PATHEXT` (including `.bat` and `.cmd`), then, on Windows, when Git LFS attempts to execute the intended program the `..exe`, `..com`, etc., file will be executed instead, but only if the intended program is not found in any directory listed in `PATH`. The vulnerability occurs because when Git LFS detects that the program it intends to run does not exist in any directory listed in `PATH` then Git LFS passes an empty string as the executable file path to the Go `os/exec` package, which contains a bug such that, on Windows, it prepends the name of the current working directory (i.e., `.`) to the empty string without adding a path separator, and as a result searches in that directory for a file with the base name `.` combined with any file extension from `PATHEXT`, executing the first one it finds. (The reason `..bat` and `..cmd` files are not executed in the same manner is that, although the Go `os/exec` package tries to execute them just as it does a `..exe` file, the Microsoft Win32 API `CreateProcess()` family of functions have an undocumented feature in that they apparently recognize when a caller is attempting to execute a batch script file and instead run the `cmd.exe` command interpreter, passing the full set of command line arguments as parameters. These are unchanged from the command line arguments set by Git LFS, and as such, the intended program's name is the first, resulting in a command line like `cmd.exe /c git`, which then fails.) Git LFS has resolved this vulnerability by always reporting an error when a program is not found in any directory listed in `PATH` rather than passing an empty string to the Go `os/exec` package in this case. The bug in the Go `os/exec` package has been reported to the Go project and is expected to be patched after this security advisory is published. The problem was introduced in version 2.12.1 and is patched in version 3.1.3. Users of affected versions should upgrade to version 3.1.3. There are currently no known workarounds at this time.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in Amazon Kindle for PC before 1.19 allows local users to execute arbitrary code and conduct DLL hijacking attacks via a Trojan horse DLL in the current working directory of the Kindle Setup installer.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in installers for The Public Certification Service for Individuals "The JPKI user's software (for Windows 7 and later)" Ver3.1 and earlier, The Public Certification Service for Individuals "The JPKI user's software (for Windows Vista)", The Public Certification Service for Individuals "The JPKI user's software" Ver2.6 and earlier that were available until April 27, 2017 allows remote attackers to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.

A untrusted search path in Fortinet FortiClientWindows versions 7.4.0, versions 7.2.4 through 7.2.0, versions 7.0.12 through 7.0.0 allows an attacker to run arbitrary code via DLL hijacking and social engineering.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the installer for TrueCrypt 7.2 and 7.1a, VeraCrypt before 1.17-BETA, and possibly other products allows local users to execute arbitrary code with administrator privileges and conduct DLL hijacking attacks via a Trojan horse DLL in the "application directory", as demonstrated with the USP10.dll, RichEd20.dll, NTMarta.dll and SRClient.dll DLLs.

Dell SupportAssist for Home PCs Installer exe version 4.0.3 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the installer. A local low-privileged authenticated attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to the execution of arbitrary executables on the operating system with elevated privileges.

The Windows installer for PostgreSQL 9.5 - 12 invokes system-provided executables that do not have fully-qualified paths. Executables in the directory where the installer loads or the current working directory take precedence over the intended executables. An attacker having permission to add files into one of those directories can use this to execute arbitrary code with the installer's administrative rights.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.343 and 19.x through 21.x before 21.0.0.213 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.616 on Linux allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse resource in an unspecified directory.

XAML Diagnostics Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

CA eHealth Performance Manager through 6.3.2.12 is affected by Privilege Escalation via a Dynamically Linked Shared Object Library. A regular user must create a malicious library in the writable RPATH, to be dynamically linked when the emtgtctl2 executable is run. The code in the library will be executed as the ehealth user. NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer

GalaxyClient version 2.0.28.9 loads unsigned DLLs such as zlib1.dll, libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll and libwinpthread-1.dll from PATH, which allows an attacker to potentially run code locally through unsigned DLL loading.

When Octopus Tentacle is installed using a custom folder location, folder ACLs are not set correctly and could lead to an unprivileged user using DLL side-loading to gain privileged access.

The OpenSSL component of the Teradici PCoIP Standard Agent prior to version 21.07.0 was compiled without the no-autoload-config option, which allowed an attacker to elevate to the privileges of the running process via placing a specially crafted dll in a build configuration directory.

When Octopus Server is installed using a custom folder location, folder ACLs are not set correctly and could lead to an unprivileged user using DLL side-loading to gain privileged access.

Local privilege escalation in Checkmk 2.2.0 (EOL), Checkmk 2.3.0 before 2.3.0p46, Checkmk 2.4.0 before 2.4.0p25, and Checkmk 2.5.0 (beta) before 2.5.0b3 allows a site user to escalate their privileges to root, by manipulating files in the site context that are processed when the `omd` administrative command is run by root.

An issue was discovered in Apiris Kafeo 6.4.4. It permits DLL hijacking, allowing a user to trigger the execution of arbitrary code every time the product is executed.

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.

Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application version 5.3 (and earlier) is affected by an Unquoted Service Path vulnerability in CCXProcess that could allow an attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution in the process of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction

Claude Code is an agentic coding tool. In versions prior to 2.1.75 on Windows, Claude Code loaded the system-wide default configuration from C:\ProgramData\ClaudeCode\managed-settings.json without validating directory ownership or access permissions. Because the ProgramData directory is writable by non-administrative users by default and the ClaudeCode subdirectory was not pre-created or access-restricted, a low-privileged local user could create this directory and place a malicious configuration file that would be automatically loaded for any user launching Claude Code on the same machine. Exploiting this would have required a shared multi-user Windows system and a victim user to launch Claude Code after the malicious configuration was placed. This issue has been fixed on version 2.1.75.

WiX toolset lets developers create installers for Windows Installer, the Windows installation engine. The .be TEMP folder is vulnerable to DLL redirection attacks that allow the attacker to escalate privileges. This impacts any installer built with the WiX installer framework. This issue has been patched in version 4.0.4.

Incorrect default permissions in AMD StoreMI™ could allow an attacker to achieve privilege escalation potentially resulting in arbitrary code execution.

A DLL hijacking vulnerability in AMD StoreMI™ could allow an attacker to achieve privilege escalation, potentially resulting in arbitrary code execution.

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.

There is an untrusted search path vulnerability in Esri ArcGIS AllSource 1.2 and 1.3 that may allow a low privileged attacker with write privileges to the local file system to introduce a malicious executable to the filesystem. When the victim performs a specific action using ArcGIS AllSource, the file could execute and run malicious commands under the context of the victim. This issue is corrected in ArcGIS AllSource 1.2.1 and 1.3.1.

Adobe ColdFusion 2016 update 15 and earlier versions, and ColdFusion 2018 update 9 and earlier versions have a dll search-order hijacking vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to privilege escalation.

Adobe ColdFusion 2016 update 15 and earlier versions, and ColdFusion 2018 update 9 and earlier versions have a dll search-order hijacking vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to privilege escalation.

A DLL search path vulnerability was reported in Lenovo Drivers Management prior to version 2.7.1128.1046 that could allow an authenticated user to execute code with elevated privileges.

Untrusted Search Path vulnerability in the windows installer of Google Earth Pro versions prior to 7.3.3 allows an attacker to insert malicious local files to execute unauthenticated remote code on the targeted system.

An untrusted search path vulnerability in the installer of PDFescape Desktop version 4.0.22 and earlier allows an attacker to gain privileges and execute code via DLL hijacking.

A CWE-426: Untrusted Search Path vulnerability exists in ZigBee Installation Kit (Versions prior to 1.0.1), which could cause execution of malicious code when a malicious file is put in the search path.

An improper signature validation vulnerability in Autodesk Dynamo BIM versions 2.5.1 and 2.5.0 may lead to code execution through maliciously crafted DLL files.

DLL Side Loading vulnerability in the installer for McAfee Application and Change Control (MACC) prior to 8.3 allows local users to execute arbitrary code via execution from a compromised folder.

DLL Search Order Hijacking Vulnerability in the installer component of McAfee Host Intrusion Prevention System (Host IPS) for Windows prior to 8.0.0 Patch 15 Update allows attackers with local access to execute arbitrary code via execution from a compromised folder.

A DLL Hijacking vulnerability in Eaton's 9000x Programming and Configuration Software v 2.0.38 and prior allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code by replacing the required DLLs with malicious DLLs when the software try to load vci11un6.DLL and cinpl.DLL.

NVIDIA GeForce Experience, all versions prior to 3.20.5.70, contains a vulnerability in NVIDIA Web Helper NodeJS Web Server in which an uncontrolled search path is used to load a node module, which may lead to code execution, denial of service, escalation of privileges, and information disclosure.

Check Point Endpoint Security Client for Windows, with Anti-Bot or Threat Emulation blades installed, before version E83.20, tries to load a non-existent DLL during a query for the Domain Name. An attacker with administrator privileges can leverage this to gain code execution within a Check Point Software Technologies signed binary, where under certain circumstances may cause the client to terminate.

The file editing functionality in the Atlassian Companion App before version 1.0.0 allows local attackers to have the app run a different executable in place of the app's cmd.exe via a untrusted search path vulnerability.

ColdFusion versions ColdFusion 2016, and ColdFusion 2018 have a dll search-order hijacking vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to privilege escalation.