osquery susceptible to DLL search order hijacking of zlib1.dll
Priority LOW 36CWE-114Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-426.
Summary
osquery before version 4.4.0 enables a privilege escalation vulnerability. If a Window system is configured with a PATH that contains a user-writable directory then a local user may write a zlib1.dll DLL, which osquery will attempt to load. Since osquery runs with elevated privileges this enables local escalation. This is fixed in version 4.4.0.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00587 48th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Fixed osquery (osquery): 4.4.0
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA osquery (osquery) Fixed in 4.4.0
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-11081
References
Patch 2
More osquery vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-38950 osquery: Heap buffer overflow via `authenticode` table (Windows) CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.0
- TI-2026-38949 osquery: Heap buffer overflow in `getProcessCurrentDirectory()` via `processes` table (Windows) CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.0
- TI-2026-34102 osquery: Unprivileged users can temporarily read file carve contents CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.4
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences