CVE-2026-57223 Suricata windows: unquoted LocalSystem service ImagePath can allow local privilege escalation
Local attackers can escalate privileges to LocalSystem if Suricata is installed in a path with spaces and earlier components are writable.
- 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
What is CVE-2026-57223?
CVE-2026-57223 is a high-severity vulnerability in Oisf Suricata, published on 18 Sep 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
Suricata is a network Intrusion Detection System, Intrusion Prevention System and Network Security Monitoring engine. Prior to 7.0.17 and 8.0.6, the Windows service installation and parameter-update logic in src/win32-service.c can pass an unquoted service ImagePath to CreateServiceA. When Suricata is installed below a path containing spaces and an earlier path component is writable by a local low-privileged attacker, Windows can execute an attacker-controlled program as LocalSystem, resulting in local privilege escalation. This issue is fixed in versions 8.0.6 and 7.0.17.
Weakness: CWE-428
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-57223?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Oisf Suricata.
How do I fix CVE-2026-57223?
Upgrade to a fixed version.
Is CVE-2026-57223 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-57223 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Oisf Suricata
Sources
Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2026-57223, GHSA-jh8w-wf3f-58jp, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-57223.