CVE-2023-29445

SYSTEM escalation via planted search-path DLL

Published Jan 10, 2024 · Updated Jun 17, 2025

DLL search-order hijacking in PTC Kepware Server 6.14.263.0 and earlier allows local users to gain administrator privileges. A KEPServerEX binary searches a specific directory for a DLL without constraining the path, allowing a planted malicious library to load. The attacker needs a local authenticated account and write access to that directory; successful loading runs attacker code with administrator rights.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.24%
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 Kepware Server 6.14.263.0 and earlier allows local users to gain administrator privileges. A KEPServerEX binary searches a specific directory for a DLL without constraining the path, allowing a planted malicious library to load. The attacker needs a local authenticated account and write access to that directory; successful loading runs attacker code with administrator rights.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-29445
Published
Jan 10, 2024
Updated
Jun 17, 2025
Vendor
Kepware
Product
Kepware Server
Classifications
CWE-427, CAPEC-233, T1574.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 10, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 17, 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 privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

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

Published CVSS scores

6.3CISACVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8DragosCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NVDCVSS: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-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CAPEC-233Privilege Escalation
T1574.002Hijack Execution Flow: DLL Side-Loading

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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