SYSTEM code execution via writable OpenSSL configuration path
Published May 12, 2026 · Updated May 12, 2026
Privilege escalation in Microsoft Azure Monitor Agent Metrics Extension before 1.42.0 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM. MetricsExtension.Native.exe reads openssl.cnf from a nonexistent OPENSSLDIR location writable by unprivileged Windows users and loads the DLL it specifies. A low-privilege Windows account can plant the configuration before service startup, causing attacker-controlled DLL code to run as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in Microsoft Azure Monitor Agent Metrics Extension before 1.42.0 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM. MetricsExtension.Native.exe reads openssl.cnf from a nonexistent OPENSSLDIR location writable by unprivileged Windows users and loads the DLL it specifies. A low-privilege Windows account can plant the configuration before service startup, causing attacker-controlled DLL code to run as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-42830
- Published
- May 12, 2026
- Updated
- May 12, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Azure Monitor Agent Metrics Extension
- Classifications
- CWE-426, T1574
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 12, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 12, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=1.0.0 <1.42.0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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