Vasion Print (formerly PrinterLogic) Virtual Appliance Host versions prior to 25.1.102 and Application versions prior to 25.1.1413 (Windows client deployments) contain an insecure temporary-file handling vulnerability in the PrinterInstallerClient components. The software creates files as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM inside a directory under the control of the local user (C:\Users\%USER%\AppData\Local\Temp\). An attacker who can place symbolic links or otherwise influence filenames in that directory can cause the service to follow the link and write to arbitrary filesystem locations as SYSTEM. This allows a local, unprivileged user to overwrite or create files as SYSTEM, leading to local privilege escalation and the ability to modify configuration files, replace or inject binaries, or otherwise compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system. This vulnerability has been confirmed to be remediated, but it is unclear as to when the patch was introduced.

Dell Encryption Admin Utilities versions prior to 11.10.2 contain an Improper Link Resolution vulnerability. A local malicious user could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to privilege escalation.

Dell Encryption and Dell Security Management Server, versions prior to 11.11.0, contain an Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') Vulnerability. A local malicious user could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to privilege escalation.

mysql_install_db in MariaDB 10.4.7 through 10.4.11 allows privilege escalation from the mysql user account to root because chown and chmod are performed unsafely, as demonstrated by a symlink attack on a chmod 04755 of auth_pam_tool_dir/auth_pam_tool. NOTE: this does not affect the Oracle MySQL product, which implements mysql_install_db differently.

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in McAfee Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for Windows prior to 11.6.100 allows a local, low privileged, attacker through the use of junctions to cause the product to load DLLs of the attacker's choosing. This requires the creation and removal of junctions by the attacker along with sending a specific IOTL command at the correct time.

Exim 4 before 4.94.2 allows Execution with Unnecessary Privileges. Because Exim operates as root in the log directory (owned by a non-root user), a symlink or hard link attack allows overwriting critical root-owned files anywhere on the filesystem.

Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Windows Installer allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

A vulnerability in the update process of Docker Desktop for Windows versions prior to 4.41.0 could allow a local, low-privileged attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. During an update, Docker Desktop attempts to delete files and subdirectories under the path C:\ProgramData\Docker\config with high privileges. However, this directory often does not exist by default, and C:\ProgramData\ allows normal users to create new directories. By creating a malicious Docker\config folder structure at this location, an attacker can force the privileged update process to delete or manipulate arbitrary system files, leading to Elevation of Privilege.

Symbolic link manipulation vulnerability in McAfee Endpoint Security (ENS) for Windows prior to 10.7.0 February 2020 Update allows authenticated local user to potentially gain an escalation of privileges by pointing the link to files which the user which not normally have permission to alter via carefully creating symbolic links from the ENS log file directory.

The XPC implementation in Admin Framework in Apple OS X before 10.10.3 allows local users to bypass authentication and obtain admin privileges via unspecified vectors.

A link following vulnerability in Trend Micro Deep Security 20.0 agents could allow a local attacker to escalate 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.

A link following vulnerability in the anti-malware solution portion of Trend Micro Deep Security 20.0 agents could allow a local attacker to escalate 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.

The default event handling scripts in Automatic Bug Reporting Tool (ABRT) allow local users to gain privileges as demonstrated by a symlink attack on a var_log_messages file.

Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Microsoft PC Manager allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Inappropriate implementation in installer in Google Chrome prior to 84.0.4147.125 allowed a local attacker to potentially elevate privilege via a crafted filesystem.

Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Comodo Antivirus 12.2.2.8012 has a quarantine flaw that allows privilege escalation. To escalate privilege, a low-privileged attacker can use an NTFS directory junction to restore a malicious DLL from quarantine into the System32 folder.

Inappropriate implementation in installer in Google Chrome on OS X prior to 83.0.4103.61 allowed a local attacker to perform privilege escalation via a crafted file.

Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Windows Installer allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Symantec Endpoint Protection, prior to 14.3, may not respect file permissions when writing to log files that are replaced by symbolic links, which can lead to a potential elevation of privilege.

VMware Horizon Agent for Linux (prior to 22.x) contains a local privilege escalation as a user is able to change the default shared folder location due to a vulnerable symbolic link. Successful exploitation can result in linking to a root owned file.

Connected User Experiences and Telemetry Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

uptimed before 0.4.6-r1 on Gentoo allows local users (with access to the uptimed user account) to gain root privileges by creating a hard link within the /var/spool/uptimed directory, because there is an unsafe chown -R call.

Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery versions prior to 5.5.13.1 contain a symbolic link attack vulnerability. A low-privileged attacker with local access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to arbitrary file deletion and Elevation of Privileges.

Local Security Authority Subsystem Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Windows Disk Cleanup Tool Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Microsoft PC Manager Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Windows Installer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Improper link resolution before file access in the Nomad module of the 1E Client, in versions prior to 25.3, enables an attacker with local unprivileged access on a Windows system to delete arbitrary files on the device by exploiting symbolic links.

Tanium addressed a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Patch Endpoint Tools.

systemd-tmpfiles in systemd through 237 mishandles symlinks present in non-terminal path components, which allows local users to obtain ownership of arbitrary files via vectors involving creation of a directory and a file under that directory, and later replacing that directory with a symlink. This occurs even if the fs.protected_symlinks sysctl is turned on.

Windows User Profile Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Tanium addressed a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Patch Endpoint Tools.

Azure Network Watcher VM Agent Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Privilege escalation via arbitrary file write in pritunl electron client 1.0.1116.6 through v1.2.2550.20. Successful exploitation of the issue may allow an attacker to execute code on the effected system with root privileges.

A vulnerability was detected in ermig1979 AntiDupl up to 2.3.12. Impacted is an unknown function of the file AntiDupl.NET.WinForms.exe of the component Delete Duplicate Image Handler. The manipulation results in link following. The attack is only possible with local access. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.

Improper Link Resolution Before File Access in the AWS VPN Client for macOS versions 1.3.2- 5.2.0 allows a local user to execute code with elevated privileges. Insufficient validation checks on the log destination directory during log rotation could allow a non-administrator user to create a symlink from a client log file to a privileged location. On log rotation, this could lead to code execution with root privileges if the user made crafted API calls which injected arbitrary code into the log file. We recommend users upgrade to AWS VPN Client for macOS 5.2.1 or the latest version.

A UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in keylime of openSUSE Tumbleweed allows local attackers to escalate from the keylime user to root. This issue affects: openSUSE Tumbleweed keylime versions prior to 6.4.2-1.1.

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in McAfee MVISION Endpoint prior to 20.9 Update allows local users to access files which the user otherwise would not have access to via manipulating symbolic links to redirect McAfee file operations to an unintended file.

Comodo Firewall Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Comodo Firewall. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the cmdagent executable. By creating a symbolic link, an attacker can abuse the application to delete a file. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-21794.

Panda Security Dome Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Panda Security Dome. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the PSANHost executable. By creating a junction, an attacker can abuse the service to delete arbitrary files. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-23402.

Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Windows Update Stack allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Avast Free Antivirus AvastSvc Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Avast Free Antivirus. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the Avast Service. By creating a symbolic link, an attacker can abuse the service to delete a file. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-22272.

Comodo Internet Security Pro cmdagent Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Comodo Internet Security Pro. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the cmdagent executable. By creating a symbolic link, an attacker can abuse the agent to delete a file. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-22831.

Avast Cleanup Premium Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Avast Cleanup Premium. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the Avast Cleanup Service. By creating a symbolic link, an attacker can abuse the service to delete a file. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-22894.

checkinstall 1.6.2, when used to create a package that contains a symlink, may trigger the creation of a mode 0777 executable file.

Malwarebytes Antimalware Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Malwarebytes Antimalware. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the Malwarebytes service. By creating a symbolic link, an attacker can abuse the service to delete a file. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-22321.

Trend Micro Security 2022 (consumer) has a link following vulnerability where an attacker with lower privileges could manipulate a mountpoint which could lead to escalation of privilege on an affected machine.

A Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') vulnerability in a script called by the sendmail systemd service of openSUSE Factory allows local attackers to escalate from user mail to root. This issue affects: SUSE openSUSE Factory sendmail versions prior to 8.17.1-1.1.