CVE-2022-26526

Local privilege escalation via world-writable PATH directory

Published Mar 17, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Privilege escalation in Anaconda Distribution through 2021.11.0.0 and Miniconda3 through 4.11.0.0 allows local users to gain SYSTEM access. The Windows installers create a world-writable directory beneath %PROGRAMDATA% and add it to system PATH, allowing a Trojan executable placed there to run with elevated privileges. The condition requires an all-users installation with the option to add the product to system PATH, and it affects Windows desktop and Windows Server systems.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.33%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Anaconda Distribution through 2021.11.0.0 and Miniconda3 through 4.11.0.0 allows local users to gain SYSTEM access. The Windows installers create a world-writable directory beneath %PROGRAMDATA% and add it to system PATH, allowing a Trojan executable placed there to run with elevated privileges. The condition requires an all-users installation with the option to add the product to system PATH, and it affects Windows desktop and Windows Server systems.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-26526
Published
Mar 17, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-732, T1574.007
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 17, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-732Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
T1574.007Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable

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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