CVE-2023-28142

SYSTEM command execution via uninstallation race

Published Apr 18, 2023 · Updated Mar 3, 2025

Race condition in Qualys Cloud Agent for Windows 3.1.3.34 through versions before 4.5.3.1 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. Qualys has not published the affected uninstaller resource or the operations that race during removal. Exploitation requires prior local compromise and precise timing during agent uninstallation, after which arbitrary commands run as SYSTEM.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Race condition in Qualys Cloud Agent for Windows 3.1.3.34 through versions before 4.5.3.1 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. Qualys has not published the affected uninstaller resource or the operations that race during removal. Exploitation requires prior local compromise and precise timing during agent uninstallation, after which arbitrary commands run as SYSTEM.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-28142
Published
Apr 18, 2023
Updated
Mar 3, 2025
Vendor
Qualys
Product
Qualys Cloud Agent
Classifications
CWE-362, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 18, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 3, 2025Record 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=3.1.3.34 <4.5.3.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Qualys · Qualys Cloud Agentversion=3.1.3.34 <4.5.3.1

Published CVSS scores

7.0NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.7Qualys, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/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 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-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
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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