CVE-2022-23742

Local privilege escalation via unsafe forensic copies

Published May 12, 2022 · Updated Jun 2, 2026

Windows hard-link handling in Check Point Endpoint Security Client before E86.40 allows local users to replace files copied into forensic reports. Forensics report generation copies files from a low-privilege directory without rejecting attacker-controlled hard links or substituted content. Low-privileged local access is required, and crafted links can redirect the privileged copy to overwrite protected files, enabling privilege escalation.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability4.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Windows hard-link handling in Check Point Endpoint Security Client before E86.40 allows local users to replace files copied into forensic reports. Forensics report generation copies files from a low-privilege directory without rejecting attacker-controlled hard links or substituted content. Low-privileged local access is required, and crafted links can redirect the privileged copy to overwrite protected files, enabling privilege escalation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-23742
Published
May 12, 2022
Updated
Jun 2, 2026
Vendor
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
Product
Check Point Endpoint Security Client for Windows
Classifications
CWE-65, CWE-59, T1203, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 12, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 2, 2026Record 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=before E86.40

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. · Check Point Endpoint Security Client for Windowsversion=before E86.40

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.6NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS: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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-65Windows Hard Link
CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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