CVE-2023-33865Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via predictable symlinked logs

Published Jun 7, 2023 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Symlink following in RenderDoc before 1.27 allows local users to execute code with another user's privileges via log files on Linux. The library_loaded() function reuses /tmp/RenderDoc without checking its ownership, then opens predictable timestamped log names in append mode and follows attacker-planted symlinks. Exploitation requires another user to start a capture and later log in, after which crafted log writes configure an LD_PRELOAD library to run with that user's privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.89%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Symlink following in RenderDoc before 1.27 allows local users to execute code with another user's privileges via log files on Linux. The library_loaded() function reuses /tmp/RenderDoc without checking its ownership, then opens predictable timestamped log names in append mode and follows attacker-planted symlinks. Exploitation requires another user to start a capture and later log in, after which crafted log writes configure an LD_PRELOAD library to run with that user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-33865
Published
Jun 7, 2023
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-59, T1574.006
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 7, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 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?

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

7.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Canonical UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8CISA-ADPCVSS: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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1574.006Dynamic Linker Hijacking

Public exploit references

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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