CVE-2023-29444

Administrator code execution via installer DLL hijacking

Published Jan 10, 2024 · Updated May 14, 2025

DLL search-order hijacking in PTC KEPServerEX 6.14.263.0 and earlier allows attackers to execute code as Administrator. The installer searches a specific filesystem directory for a DLL and loads an attacker-supplied copy from a repackaged distribution. Exploitation requires the harmful DLL in that directory and a victim to run the trojanized installer, whose elevated process then executes the supplied code.

CVSS severity6.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

DLL search-order hijacking in PTC KEPServerEX 6.14.263.0 and earlier allows attackers to execute code as Administrator. The installer searches a specific filesystem directory for a DLL and loads an attacker-supplied copy from a repackaged distribution. Exploitation requires the harmful DLL in that directory and a victim to run the trojanized installer, whose elevated process then executes the supplied code.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-29444
Published
Jan 10, 2024
Updated
May 14, 2025
Vendor
Kepware
Product
Kepware Server
Classifications
CWE-427, CAPEC-233, T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 10, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 14, 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=0 <=6.14.263.0
  2. Affected versionversion=8.0 <=8.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Kepware · Kepware Serverversion=0 <=6.14.263.0; version=8.0 <=8.5

Published CVSS scores

6.3Dragos, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CAPEC-233Privilege Escalation
T1574.001DLL 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

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Your stack

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