CVE-2024-11859

Administrator-level code execution via planted DLL

Published Apr 7, 2025 · Updated Apr 16, 2025

DLL search-order hijacking in affected ESET Windows security products allows local administrators to execute code through a planted DLL. The ESET Command Line Scanner searches a specific folder before the intended system location and loads an attacker-planted library from that folder. Exploitation requires administrator privileges and running the scanner; the injected code retains those privileges rather than elevating them.

CVSS severity8.4
High
EPSS probability2.06%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

DLL search-order hijacking in affected ESET Windows security products allows local administrators to execute code through a planted DLL. The ESET Command Line Scanner searches a specific folder before the intended system location and loads an attacker-planted library from that folder. Exploitation requires administrator privileges and running the scanner; the injected code retains those privileges rather than elevating them.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-11859
Published
Apr 7, 2025
Updated
Apr 16, 2025
Vendor
ESET
Product
ESET Smart Security Premium
Classifications
CWE-427, CAPEC-471, T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 7, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 16, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=18.0.12.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

ESET · ESET Smart Security Premiumversion=0 <=18.0.12.0
ESET · ESET Mail Security for Microsoft Exchange Serverversion=0 <=10.1.10014.0; version=0 <=11.0.10008.0; version=0 <=11.1.10008.0
ESET · ESET Endpoint Antivirus for Windowsversion=0 <=11.1.2053.2; version=0 <=12.0.2038.0
ESET · ESET Safe Serverversion=0 <=18.0.12.0
ESET · ESET Endpoint Security for Windowsversion=0 <=11.1.2053.2; version=0 <=12.0.2038.0
ESET · ESET Small Business Securityversion=0 <=18.0.12.0
ESET · ESET NOD32 Antivirusversion=0 <=18.0.12.0
ESET · ESET Server Security for Windows Serverversion=0 <=11.1.12005.2
ESET · ESET Security for Microsoft SharePoint Serverversion=0 <=10.0.15005.1; version=0 <=11.0.15004.0; version=0 <=11.1.15001.0
ESET · ESET Internet Securityversion=0 <=18.0.12.0
ESET · ESET Security Ultimateversion=0 <=18.0.12.0

Published CVSS scores

8.4ESETCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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-471Search Order Hijacking
T1574.001Hijack Execution Flow: DLL 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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo