CVE-2026-84226

Local code execution via unqualified netsh path

Published Sep 7, 2026 · Updated Sep 8, 2026

Untrusted search path handling in OpenVPN for Windows 2.5.0 through 2.6.22 and 2.7_alpha1 through 2.7.6 allows local users to execute arbitrary code. The tapctl utility passes the bare netsh.exe name to CreateProcess with a null application name, allowing Windows search-path resolution to select an attacker-planted executable. Reachability requires local access, permission to place netsh.exe earlier in the search path, and an elevated tapctl adapter-renaming operation; successful planting runs the replacement with tapctl's privileges.

CVSS severity8.5
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Untrusted search path handling in OpenVPN for Windows 2.5.0 through 2.6.22 and 2.7_alpha1 through 2.7.6 allows local users to execute arbitrary code. The tapctl utility passes the bare netsh.exe name to CreateProcess with a null application name, allowing Windows search-path resolution to select an attacker-planted executable. Reachability requires local access, permission to place netsh.exe earlier in the search path, and an elevated tapctl adapter-renaming operation; successful planting runs the replacement with tapctl's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-84226
Published
Sep 7, 2026
Updated
Sep 8, 2026
Vendor
OpenVPN Inc.
Product
OpenVPN
Classifications
CWE-426, T1574.007
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 7, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 8, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=2.5.0 <=2.6.22
  2. Affected versionversion=2.7_alpha1 <=2.7.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

OpenVPN Inc. · OpenVPNversion=2.5.0 <=2.6.22; version=2.7_alpha1 <=2.7.6

Published CVSS scores

8.5OpenVPNCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-426Untrusted Search Path
T1574.007Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable

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

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Your stack

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