# CVE-2026-5789: Search path without quotes in CivetWeb

> A local attacker can execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges by exploiting an unquoted search path in the CivetWeb service configuration.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **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:** 21 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 21 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9vxj-j2f7-9mgg, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-5789

## What is CVE-2026-5789?

CVE-2026-5789 is a high-severity vulnerability in CivetWeb, published on 21 Apr 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Vulnerability related to an unquoted search path in CivetWeb v1.16. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges by placing a malicious executable in a directory that is scanned before the intended application path (C:\Program Files\CivetWeb\CivetWeb.exe --), due to the absence of quotes in the service configuration.

Weakness: CWE-428 (Unquoted Search Path or Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-5789?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Civetweb Project Civetweb.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-5789?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-5789 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-5789 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-5789 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in CivetWeb

- [CVE-2020-27304](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27304/): Path traversal in civetweb (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-55763](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-55763/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2018-12684](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12684/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-5789 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-5789 is a high-severity vulnerability in CivetWeb, published on 21 Apr 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-2026-5789 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: CivetWeb. 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-2026-5789/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-5789/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-5789
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-5789
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-5789

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-5789/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.