Local privilege escalation via untrusted search path
Published Dec 22, 2023 · Updated Feb 25, 2026
Privilege escalation in Dell SupportAssist for Home PCs 3.14.1 and earlier allows local users to run executables with elevated privileges. The first-time SupportAssistInstaller.exe uses an untrusted executable search path, allowing attacker-controlled code to be selected during installation. Exploitation requires a low-privileged authenticated local user, user interaction, and a first-time installation performed before 21 December 2023.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in Dell SupportAssist for Home PCs 3.14.1 and earlier allows local users to run executables with elevated privileges. The first-time SupportAssistInstaller.exe uses an untrusted executable search path, allowing attacker-controlled code to be selected during installation. Exploitation requires a low-privileged authenticated local user, user interaction, and a first-time installation performed before 21 December 2023.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-48670
- Published
- Dec 22, 2023
- Updated
- Feb 25, 2026
- Vendor
- Dell
- Product
- SupportAssist for Home PCs
- Classifications
- CWE-426, T1574.008
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 22, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=3.14.2.45116
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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