CVE-2022-24955

Local privilege escalation via DLL search path

Published Feb 11, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Uncontrolled Search Path Element in Foxit PDF Reader and PDF Editor before 11.2.1 allows attackers to execute malicious DLL files via local search paths. The application searches for DLL libraries without specifying absolute paths, allowing a malicious DLL in a searched location to be loaded. Exploitation requires local access to place or control a DLL in the search path and can elevate privileges through code execution in the application context.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.05%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled Search Path Element in Foxit PDF Reader and PDF Editor before 11.2.1 allows attackers to execute malicious DLL files via local search paths. The application searches for DLL libraries without specifying absolute paths, allowing a malicious DLL in a searched location to be loaded. Exploitation requires local access to place or control a DLL in the search path and can elevate privileges through code execution in the application context.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-24955
Published
Feb 11, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 11, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.5NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1574.002Hijack Execution Flow: DLL Search Order Hijacking

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo