Vulnerability-Lookup

CVE-2026-2040 (GCVE-0-2026-2040)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-02-20 22:21 – Updated: 2026-02-24 15:07

Title

PDF-XChange Editor TrackerUpdate Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Summary

PDF-XChange Editor TrackerUpdate Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of PDF-XChange Editor. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the TrackerUpdate process. The product loads a library from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute code in the context of a target user. Was ZDI-CAN-27788.

Severity ?

7.3 (High)


                        
                          CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CWE

CWE-427 - Uncontrolled Search Path Element

Assigner

zdi

References

URL

Tags

https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-…

x_research-advisory

Impacted products

	Vendor	Product	Version
	PDF-XChange	PDF-XChange Editor	Affected: 10.7.2.400

Show details on NVD website

JSON

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{
  "containers": {
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      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2026-2040",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "none"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "no"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "total"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2026-02-24T15:06:54.167938Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2026-02-24T15:07:07.127Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unknown",
          "product": "PDF-XChange Editor",
          "vendor": "PDF-XChange",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "10.7.2.400"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "dateAssigned": "2026-02-06T01:13:48.624Z",
      "datePublic": "2026-02-19T14:24:40.432Z",
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "PDF-XChange Editor TrackerUpdate Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of PDF-XChange Editor. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.\n\nThe specific flaw exists within the TrackerUpdate process. The product loads a library from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute code in the context of a target user. Was ZDI-CAN-27788."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_0": {
            "baseScore": 7.3,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.0"
          },
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        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
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      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-02-20T22:21:17.790Z",
        "orgId": "99f1926a-a320-47d8-bbb5-42feb611262e",
        "shortName": "zdi"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "name": "ZDI-26-122",
          "tags": [
            "x_research-advisory"
          ],
          "url": "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-122/"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "lang": "en",
        "value": "Kolja Grassmann (Neodyme AG)"
      },
      "title": "PDF-XChange Editor TrackerUpdate Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "99f1926a-a320-47d8-bbb5-42feb611262e",
    "assignerShortName": "zdi",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-2040",
    "datePublished": "2026-02-20T22:21:17.790Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-02-06T01:13:48.593Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-02-24T15:07:07.127Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "vulnrichment": {
      "containers": "{\"adp\": [{\"title\": \"CISA ADP Vulnrichment\", \"metrics\": [{\"other\": {\"type\": \"ssvc\", \"content\": {\"id\": \"CVE-2026-2040\", \"role\": \"CISA Coordinator\", \"options\": [{\"Exploitation\": \"none\"}, {\"Automatable\": \"no\"}, {\"Technical Impact\": \"total\"}], \"version\": \"2.0.3\", \"timestamp\": \"2026-02-24T15:06:54.167938Z\"}}}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"orgId\": \"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0\", \"shortName\": \"CISA-ADP\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-02-24T15:07:02.800Z\"}}], \"cna\": {\"title\": \"PDF-XChange Editor TrackerUpdate Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability\", \"source\": {\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"Kolja Grassmann (Neodyme AG)\"}, \"metrics\": [{\"format\": \"CVSS\", \"cvssV3_0\": {\"version\": \"3.0\", \"baseScore\": 7.3, \"baseSeverity\": \"HIGH\", \"vectorString\": \"CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H\"}}], \"affected\": [{\"vendor\": \"PDF-XChange\", \"product\": \"PDF-XChange Editor\", \"versions\": [{\"status\": \"affected\", \"version\": \"10.7.2.400\"}], \"defaultStatus\": \"unknown\"}], \"datePublic\": \"2026-02-19T14:24:40.432Z\", \"references\": [{\"url\": \"https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-122/\", \"name\": \"ZDI-26-122\", \"tags\": [\"x_research-advisory\"]}], \"dateAssigned\": \"2026-02-06T01:13:48.624Z\", \"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"PDF-XChange Editor TrackerUpdate Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of PDF-XChange Editor. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.\\n\\nThe specific flaw exists within the TrackerUpdate process. The product loads a library from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute code in the context of a target user. Was ZDI-CAN-27788.\"}], \"problemTypes\": [{\"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"type\": \"CWE\", \"cweId\": \"CWE-427\", \"description\": \"CWE-427: Uncontrolled Search Path Element\"}]}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"orgId\": \"99f1926a-a320-47d8-bbb5-42feb611262e\", \"shortName\": \"zdi\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-02-20T22:21:17.790Z\"}}}",
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      "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
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}

GHSA-9J8V-79V3-WCMP

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-02-21 00:31 – Updated: 2026-02-21 00:31

Details

The specific flaw exists within the TrackerUpdate process. The product loads a library from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute code in the context of a target user. Was ZDI-CAN-27788.

Severity ?

7.3 (High)


                  
                    CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Show details on source website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-2040"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-427"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-02-20T23:16:04Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "PDF-XChange Editor TrackerUpdate Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of PDF-XChange Editor. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.\n\nThe specific flaw exists within the TrackerUpdate process. The product loads a library from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute code in the context of a target user. Was ZDI-CAN-27788.",
  "id": "GHSA-9j8v-79v3-wcmp",
  "modified": "2026-02-21T00:31:43Z",
  "published": "2026-02-21T00:31:43Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-2040"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-122"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

FKIE_CVE-2026-2040

Vulnerability from fkie_nvd - Published: 2026-02-20 23:16 - Updated: 2026-02-23 18:13

Severity ?

7.3 (High) - CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Summary

References

	URL	Tags
	zdi-disclosures@trendmicro.com	https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-122/

Impacted products

	Vendor	Product	Version

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "cveTags": [],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "PDF-XChange Editor TrackerUpdate Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of PDF-XChange Editor. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.\n\nThe specific flaw exists within the TrackerUpdate process. The product loads a library from an unsecured location. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute code in the context of a target user. Was ZDI-CAN-27788."
    }
  ],
  "id": "CVE-2026-2040",
  "lastModified": "2026-02-23T18:13:53.397",
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV30": [
      {
        "cvssData": {
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "baseScore": 7.3,
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "version": "3.0"
        },
        "exploitabilityScore": 1.3,
        "impactScore": 5.9,
        "source": "zdi-disclosures@trendmicro.com",
        "type": "Secondary"
      }
    ]
  },
  "published": "2026-02-20T23:16:04.050",
  "references": [
    {
      "source": "zdi-disclosures@trendmicro.com",
      "url": "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-122/"
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "zdi-disclosures@trendmicro.com",
  "vulnStatus": "Awaiting Analysis",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-427"
        }
      ],
      "source": "zdi-disclosures@trendmicro.com",
      "type": "Primary"
    }
  ]
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

Action not permitted

CVE-2026-2040 (GCVE-0-2026-2040)

GHSA-9J8V-79V3-WCMP

FKIE_CVE-2026-2040

Tags

Sightings

Nomenclature