SYSTEM code execution via Shredder symlink race
Published Jul 14, 2026 · Updated Jul 14, 2026
Link following in Bitdefender Total Security and Internet Security before 27.0.58.315 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. The File Shredder Wizard service resolves a user-controlled symbolic link during a race and deletes the linked folder with elevated rights. Low-privileged code execution on Windows is required; the resulting arbitrary folder deletion enables arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.
Summary
What happened
Link following in Bitdefender Total Security and Internet Security before 27.0.58.315 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. The File Shredder Wizard service resolves a user-controlled symbolic link during a race and deletes the linked folder with elevated rights. Low-privileged code execution on Windows is required; the resulting arbitrary folder deletion enables arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-6851
- Published
- Jul 14, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 14, 2026
- Vendor
- Bitdefender
- Product
- Bitdefender Total Security
- Classifications
- CWE-59, CAPEC-27, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 14, 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=0 <27.0.58.315
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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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