CVE-2023-38736

SYSTEM privilege escalation via writable agent directories

Published Sep 8, 2023 · Updated Sep 26, 2024

Local privilege escalation in IBM QRadar WinCollect Agent 10.0 through 10.1.6 allows local users to gain SYSTEM permissions. Insufficient directory permissions permit unwanted modification of WinCollect program or data files used by the privileged agent; IBM does not identify a specific file or loading path. Exploitation requires a local unprivileged account and an agent configured to run with ADMIN or SYSTEM privileges, and successful abuse grants full host control.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.43%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in IBM QRadar WinCollect Agent 10.0 through 10.1.6 allows local users to gain SYSTEM permissions. Insufficient directory permissions permit unwanted modification of WinCollect program or data files used by the privileged agent; IBM does not identify a specific file or loading path. Exploitation requires a local unprivileged account and an agent configured to run with ADMIN or SYSTEM privileges, and successful abuse grants full host control.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38736
Published
Sep 8, 2023
Updated
Sep 26, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM QRadar WinCollect
Classifications
T1574
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 8, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 26, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0 <=10.1.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM QRadar WinCollectversion=10.0 <=10.1.6

Published CVSS scores

7.5IBMCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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

T1574Hijack Execution Flow

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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