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.

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.

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.

Substance3D - Painter versions 10.1.0 and earlier are affected by an Untrusted Search Path vulnerability that might allow attackers to execute arbitrary code. If the application uses a search path to locate critical resources such as programs, then an attacker could modify that search path to point to a malicious program, which the targeted application would then execute. The problem extends to any type of critical resource that the application trusts. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the installer of Microsoft OneDrive allows an attacker to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.

ruby-ffi version 1.9.23 and earlier has a DLL loading issue which can be hijacked on Windows OS, when a Symbol is used as DLL name instead of a String This vulnerability appears to have been fixed in v1.9.24 and later.

Untrusted search path in Azure Monitor Agent allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the installer of PlayMemories Home for Windows ver.5.5.01 and earlier allows an attacker to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the installer of Visual C++ Redistributable allows an attacker to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.

Uncontrolled search path in the Intel(R) RealSense(TM) D400 Series UWP driver for Windows 10 before version 6.1.160.22 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.

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.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the installer of Skype for Windows allows an attacker to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in Self-extracting archive files created by IExpress bundled with Microsoft Windows allows an attacker to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the installer of Visual Studio Code allows an attacker to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.

MongoDB Compass may be susceptible to local privilege escalation under certain conditions potentially enabling unauthorized actions on a user's system with elevated privileges, when a crafted file is stored in C:\node_modules\. This issue affects MongoDB Compass prior to 1.42.1

Adobe Framemaker versions 2022.8 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. If the application uses a search path to locate critical resources such as programs, then an attacker could modify that search path to point to a malicious program, which the targeted application would then execute. Exploitation of this issue does not require user interaction.

The Dolby Audio X2 (DAX2) API service before 0.8.8.90 on Windows allows local users to gain privileges.

Untrusted search path in Windows GDI allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.

Microsoft.SqlServer.XEvent.Configuration.dll Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

A local privilege escalation vulnerability was discovered in Erlang/OTP prior to version 23.2.3. By adding files to an existing installation's directory, a local attacker could hijack accounts of other users running Erlang programs or possibly coerce a service running with "erlsrv.exe" to execute arbitrary code as Local System. This can occur only under specific conditions on Windows with unsafe filesystem permissions.

SumatraPDF is a multi-format reader for Windows. In 3.5.2 and earlier, there is a Untrusted Search Path vulnerability when Advanced Options setting is trigger. The application executes notepad.exe without specifying an absolute path when using the Advanced Options setting. On Windows, this allows execution of a malicious notepad.exe placed in the application's installation directory, leading to arbitrary code execution.

Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

During the installation of the Native Access application, a privileged helper `com.native-instruments.NativeAccess.Helper2`, which is used by Native Access to trigger functions via XPC communication like copy-file, remove or set-permissions, is deployed as well. The communication with the XPC service of the privileged helper is only allowed if the client process is signed with the corresponding certificate and fulfills the following code signing requirement: "anchor trusted and certificate leaf[subject.CN] = \"Developer ID Application: Native Instruments GmbH (83K5EG6Z9V)\"" The Native Access application was found to be signed with the `com.apple.security.cs.allow-dyld-environment-variables` and `com.apple.security.cs.disable-library-validation` entitlements leading to DYLIB injection and therefore command execution in the context of this application. A low privileged user can exploit the DYLIB injection to trigger functions of the privileged helper XPC service resulting in privilege escalation by first deleting the /etc/sudoers file and then copying a malicious version of that file to /etc/sudoers.

Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

The Firefox installer on Windows can be made to load malicious DLL files stored in the same directory as the installer when it is run. This allows privileged execution if the installer is run with elevated privileges. Note: This attack only affects Windows operating systems. Other operating systems are unaffected. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 54, Firefox ESR < 52.2, and Thunderbird < 52.2.

Opera before 57.0.3098.106 is vulnerable to a DLL Search Order hijacking attack where an attacker can send a ZIP archive composed of an HTML page along with a malicious DLL to the target. Once the document is opened, it may allow the attacker to take full control of the system from any location within the system. The issue lies in the loading of the shcore.dll and dcomp.dll files: these files are being searched for by the program in the same system-wide directory where the HTML file is executed.

Samsung Magician 8.0.0 on Windows allows an admin to escalate privileges by tampering with the directory and DLL files used during the installation process. This occurs because of an Untrusted Search Path.

A DLL hijacking vulnerability in Trend Micro Security 2019 (Consumer) versions below 15.0.0.1163 and below could allow an attacker to manipulate a specific DLL and escalate privileges on vulnerable installations.

A vulnerability was found in a port or fork of Redis. It has been declared as critical. This vulnerability affects unknown code in the library C:/Program Files/Redis/dbghelp.dll. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. The attack can be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The real existence of this vulnerability is still doubted at the moment. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-212416. NOTE: The official Redis release is not affected. This issue might affect an unofficial fork or port on Windows only.

IBM DB2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows (includes DB2 Connect Server) 9.7, 10.1, 10.5, and 11.1 binaries load shared libraries from an untrusted path potentially giving low privilege user full access to the DB2 instance account by loading a malicious shared library. IBM X-Force ID: 149640.

A vulnerability was found in Viscosity 1.6.7. It has been classified as critical. This affects an unknown part of the component DLL Handler. The manipulation leads to untrusted search path. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. Upgrading to version 1.6.8 is able to address this issue. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in UNARJ32.DLL for Win32, LHMelting for Win32, and LMLzh32.DLL (UNARJ32.DLL for Win32 Ver 1.10.1.25 and earlier, LHMelting for Win32 Ver 1.65.3.6 and earlier, LMLzh32.DLL Ver 2.67.1.2 and earlier) allows an attacker to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.

Mattermost Desktop App versions <=5.10.0 explicitly declared unnecessary macOS entitlements which allows an attacker with remote access to bypass Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) via code injection.

Untrusted search path in Microsoft Office allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.

ActiveSetupN.exe in Amazon Audible for Windows before November 2017 allows attackers to execute arbitrary DLL code if ActiveSetupN.exe is launched from a directory where an attacker has already created a Trojan horse dwmapi.dll file.

Microsoft SharePoint Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

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.

Improper authentication in Windows Storage allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Microsoft Exchange Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Illustrator versions 29.8.3, 30.0 and earlier are affected by an Untrusted Search Path vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. If the application uses a search path to locate critical resources such as programs, an attacker could modify that search path to point to a malicious program, which the targeted application would then execute. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file and scope is changed.

Creditcoin is a network that enables cross-blockchain credit transactions. The Windows binary of the Creditcoin node loads a suite of DLLs provided by Microsoft at startup. If a malicious user has access to overwrite the program files directory it is possible to replace these DLLs and execute arbitrary code. It is the view of the blockchain development team that the threat posed by a hypothetical binary planting attack is minimal and represents a low-security risk. The vulnerable DLL files are from the Windows networking subsystem, the Visual C++ runtime, and low-level cryptographic primitives. Collectively these dependencies are required for a large ecosystem of applications, ranging from enterprise-level security applications to game engines, and don’t represent a fundamental lack of security or oversight in the design and implementation of Creditcoin. The blockchain team takes the stance that running Creditcoin on Windows is officially unsupported and at best should be thought of as experimental.

Windows OLE Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Lightroom Desktop versions 7.1.2 and earlier are affected by an Untrusted Search Path vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. If the application uses a search path to locate critical resources such as programs, then an attacker could modify that search path to point to a malicious program, which the targeted application would then execute. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.

IBM DB2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows (includes DB2 Connect Server) 9.7, 10.1, 10.5 and 11.1 binaries load shared libraries from an untrusted path potentially giving low privilege users full access to the DB2 instance account by loading a malicious shared library. IBM X-Force ID: 140972.

Multiple untrusted search path vulnerabilities in installer in Synology Photo Station Uploader before 1.4.2-084 on Windows allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code and conduct DLL hijacking attack via a Trojan horse (1) shfolder.dll, (2) ntmarta.dll, (3) secur32.dll or (4) dwmapi.dll file in the current working directory.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in Installer for ContentsBridge Utility for Windows 7.4.0 and earlier allows an attacker to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.

The writeRandomBytes_RtlGenRandom function in xmlparse.c in libexpat in Expat 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 on Windows allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse ADVAPI32.DLL in the current working directory because of an untrusted search path, aka DLL hijacking.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the installer in VMware Workstation Pro 12.x before 12.5.0 and VMware Workstation Player 12.x before 12.5.0 on Windows allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in an unspecified directory.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in Microsoft Auto Updater for Mac allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse executable file, aka "Microsoft (MAU) Office Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

An installer defect known as an "unquoted Windows search path vulnerability" affected the Apache OpenOffice before 4.1.3 installers for Windows. The PC must have previously been infected by a Trojan Horse application (or user) running with administrative privilege. Any installer with the unquoted search path vulnerability becomes a delayed trigger for the exploit.