CVE-2022-28965

Protected-process code execution via unchecked DLL loading

Published May 20, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

DLL hijacking in Avast Premium Security before 21.11.2500 allows local users to execute code or interrupt the antivirus service. The instup.exe and wsc_proxy.exe processes seek nonexistent DLLs during REPAIR APP and load planted files without the expected security check. Administrative privileges and REPAIR APP invocation are required; exploitation runs code inside protected Avast processes or terminates antivirus.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

DLL hijacking in Avast Premium Security before 21.11.2500 allows local users to execute code or interrupt the antivirus service. The instup.exe and wsc_proxy.exe processes seek nonexistent DLLs during REPAIR APP and load planted files without the expected security check. Administrative privileges and REPAIR APP invocation are required; exploitation runs code inside protected Avast processes or terminates antivirus.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-28965
Published
May 20, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-427, T1562.001, T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

4.4NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1562.001Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools
T1574.001Hijack Execution Flow: DLL

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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