CVE-2026-92254

Arbitrary file deletion via unauthenticated IOCTL handlers

Published Sep 20, 2026 · Updated Sep 20, 2026

Missing authorization in Watchdog Anti-Virus 1.8.640 allows local users to delete arbitrary files through the wsdkd.sys driver. The wsdkd.sys IOCTL handlers accept crafted requests from low-privileged callers and perform file deletion as SYSTEM without enforcing NTFS access controls. Local low-privileged access is required; successful abuse can remove protected files, disable security products, or destabilize Windows.

CVSS severity6.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 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.

Get started

Summary

What happened

Missing authorization in Watchdog Anti-Virus 1.8.640 allows local users to delete arbitrary files through the wsdkd.sys driver. The wsdkd.sys IOCTL handlers accept crafted requests from low-privileged callers and perform file deletion as SYSTEM without enforcing NTFS access controls. Local low-privileged access is required; successful abuse can remove protected files, disable security products, or destabilize Windows.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-92254
Published
Sep 20, 2026
Updated
Sep 20, 2026
Vendor
Watchdog
Product
Watchdog Anti-Virus
Classifications
CWE-20, CWE-306, CAPEC-212, T1070.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 20, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 20, 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=1.8.640 <1.8.804

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Watchdog · Watchdog Anti-Virusversion=1.8.640 <1.8.804

Published CVSS scores

6.9Watchdog CNACVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/AU:Y/RE:L/U:Amber

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.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
CWE-306Missing Authentication for Critical Function
CAPEC-212Functionality Misuse
T1070.004File Deletion

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Get started to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Get started