CVE-2022-23120Public exploit

Local root code execution via ActivateAgent injection

Published Jan 20, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Code injection in Trend Micro Deep Security Agent 20 and earlier for Linux allows local users to execute arbitrary code as root. The ActivateAgent RPC inserts attacker-controlled host HTTP parameter text into a Lua code string and executes it in a new thread. Exploitation requires an unactivated, unconfigured agent plus local code execution or the ability to send requests from localhost.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability6.38%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in Trend Micro Deep Security Agent 20 and earlier for Linux allows local users to execute arbitrary code as root. The ActivateAgent RPC inserts attacker-controlled host HTTP parameter text into a Lua code string and executes it in a new thread. Exploitation requires an unactivated, unconfigured agent plus local code execution or the ability to send requests from localhost.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-23120
Published
Jan 20, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Trend Micro
Product
Deep Security Agent
Classifications
CWE-94, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 20, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=20, 12, 11, 10

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Trend Micro · Deep Security Agentversion=20, 12, 11, 10

Published CVSS scores

7.0Trend MicroCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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