# CVE-2024-9478: Privilege escalation in upKeeper Instant Privilege Access

> An improper privilege management flaw in upKeeper Instant Privilege Access allows attackers to escalate privileges within the application.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 Nov 2024
- **Updated:** 7 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4pm3-3999-hj74

## What is CVE-2024-9478?

CVE-2024-9478 is a critical vulnerability in upKeeper Instant Privilege Access, published on 20 Nov 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in upKeeper Solutions upKeeper Instant Privilege Access allows Privilege Escalation.This issue affects upKeeper Instant Privilege Access: before 1.2.

Weakness: CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-9478?


## How do I fix CVE-2024-9478?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-9478 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-9478 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-9478 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-9478 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-9478 is a critical vulnerability in upKeeper Instant Privilege Access, published on 20 Nov 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-9478 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: upKeeper Instant Privilege Access. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9478/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9478/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-9478
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-9478
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-9478

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9478/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.