CVE-2026-54000 osquery: Heap buffer overflow in `getProcessCurrentDirectory()` via `processes` table (Windows)
A local attacker can trigger a heap buffer overflow in osquery on Windows to escalate privileges from standard user to SYSTEM.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-54000?
CVE-2026-54000 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in osquery, published on 10 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
osquery is a SQL powered operating system instrumentation, monitoring, and analytics framework. Prior to 5.23.1, on Windows, a local unprivileged attacker can cause a heap buffer out-of-bounds write if there is a query of the processes table targeting a maliciously crafted process, due to unchecked PEB string lengths in process command-line and current-directory reads. If exploited successfully, this could allow a potential local privilege escalation from standard user to SYSTEM. This issue is fixed in version 5.23.1.
Weakness: CWE-122
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-54000?
How do I fix CVE-2026-54000?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-54000 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.
Is CVE-2026-54000 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-54000 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-4r78-6hg6-33gg.