CVE-2026-0776Public exploit

Target-user code execution via optional module search

Published Jan 23, 2026 · Updated Jan 23, 2026

Uncontrolled search path in Discord Desktop App 1.0.9196 allows local users to execute code as a target user when Discord starts. The discord_rpc module invokes the ws library without its optional utf-8-validate dependency, so Node.js searches C:\node_modules and executes an attacker-planted module. A low-privileged Windows user must first create the drive-root module; execution occurs when the target user launches Discord or its default login startup runs.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.38%
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

Uncontrolled search path in Discord Desktop App 1.0.9196 allows local users to execute code as a target user when Discord starts. The discord_rpc module invokes the ws library without its optional utf-8-validate dependency, so Node.js searches C:\node_modules and executes an attacker-planted module. A low-privileged Windows user must first create the drive-root module; execution occurs when the target user launches Discord or its default login startup runs.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-0776
Published
Jan 23, 2026
Updated
Jan 23, 2026
Vendor
Discord
Product
Discord Desktop App
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574.008
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 23, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 23, 2026Record 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=1.0.9196

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Discord · Discord Desktop Appversion=1.0.9196

Published CVSS scores

7.3Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/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-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1574.008Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking

Public exploit references

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