CVE-2026-2516Public exploit

Local administrative code execution via SHFOLDER.dll hijacking

Published Feb 15, 2026 · Updated Feb 15, 2026

Uncontrolled DLL search in Unidocs ezPDF DRM Reader and ezPDF Reader 2.0 and 3.0.0.4 allows local users to execute administrative code. Both 32-bit installers request SHFOLDER.dll without a fully qualified path, causing Windows to search their current working directory first. A low-privileged attacker must plant a matching DLL beside an installer and wait for an administrator to run it, which executes the payload at high integrity.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled DLL search in Unidocs ezPDF DRM Reader and ezPDF Reader 2.0 and 3.0.0.4 allows local users to execute administrative code. Both 32-bit installers request SHFOLDER.dll without a fully qualified path, causing Windows to search their current working directory first. A low-privileged attacker must plant a matching DLL beside an installer and wait for an administrator to run it, which executes the payload at high integrity.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-2516
Published
Feb 15, 2026
Updated
Feb 15, 2026
Vendor
Unidocs
Product
ezPDF DRM Reader
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 15, 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=2.0
  2. Affected versionversion=3.0.0.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Unidocs · ezPDF DRM Readerversion=2.0; version=3.0.0.4
Unidocs · ezPDF Readerversion=2.0; version=3.0.0.4

Published CVSS scores

7.3RoyalSnek vulnerability submissionCVSS:3.1/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
T1574.001Hijack Execution Flow: DLL

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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