# CVE-2026-14172: Rapid7 InsightVM, Nexpose, and Insight Agent Local Privilege Escalation via Unvalidated Executable Invocation

> Local attackers can escalate privileges to root or SYSTEM by exploiting unvalidated executable invocation during authenticated scans in Rapid7 products.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 25 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pwvq-pmm8-79h9

## What is CVE-2026-14172?

CVE-2026-14172 is a high-severity vulnerability in Rapid7 Insight Agent, published on 24 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Rapid7 InsightVM, Nexpose, and the Insight Agent execute discovered executables during authenticated assessment without validating file ownership, allowing a local low-privileged user to run code as the scan credential (Scan Engine) or as root/SYSTEM (Insight Agent). Fixed in Scan Engine content 1.1.3935 and Insight Agent content component 0.0.245.0.

Weakness: CWE-250 (Execution with Unnecessary Privileges)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-14172?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-14172?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-14172 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-14172 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-14172 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-14172 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-14172 is a high-severity vulnerability in Rapid7 Insight Agent, published on 24 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-14172 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Rapid7 Insight Agent. 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-2026-14172/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-14172/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-14172
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-14172
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-14172

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-14172/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.