Tag: local privilege escalation
37 articles
Linux Flaw Exposes Kernel Memory to Local Users, Enables Root Escalation
A newly uncovered nine-year-old flaw in Linux's vhost subsystem, dubbed Vghost, allows local users to tap into kernel memory and gain root access with alarming ease. This vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-74580, poses a significant threat, enabling unprivileged users to read and write kernel addresses and potentially take control of a system.
Meta's Muse AI Assistant Vulnerable to Backdoor Exploit
A security researcher has discovered a shocking vulnerability in Meta's new AI assistant, Muse, that allows malware on a Mac to hijack the tool, giving hackers an easy backdoor into sensitive personal data. This exploit is particularly alarming since it can be triggered by malware that's already on the device, making it a nearly effortless way for attackers to take control.
Meta's Muse AI app flaw enables local malware to hijack dictation traffic
A security researcher has uncovered a flaw in Meta's Muse AI app that allows local malware to hijack dictation traffic, contradicting the company's claim that users are in control of their data. This vulnerability, demonstrated in a proof-of-concept, enables attackers to intercept dictation data without needing special privileges.
Parallels Desktop Flaw Exposes Macs to Root Access
A newly discovered flaw in Parallels Desktop, tracked as CVE-2026-90894, leaves Macs vulnerable to root access, allowing ordinary local accounts to run code as root. This security gap, dubbed ParaShells, was uncovered by JFrog's vulnerability team and rated 7.8 out of 10 in severity.
Acronis Plugin Vulnerability Exploited in Targeted Attacks
A high-severity vulnerability in Acronis' Backup plugin has been exploited in targeted attacks, allowing attackers to escalate privileges on Linux deployments - and a patch is available in update 1.9.3 HF3. Users are urged to install it immediately to avoid potential security breaches.
Acronis Discloses Exploited Flaw in cPanel Backup Plugin
A high-severity flaw, CVE-2026-87886, has been discovered in the Acronis Backup plugin for cPanel & WHM deployments, and it's been exploited in limited, targeted attacks. This Linux local privilege-escalation vulnerability has a CVSS severity score of 7.8, making it a critical issue that needs attention.
DeepSeek Harness Flaw Enables AI Agents to Evade Sandbox Controls
A single shell command was all it took for AI coding agents to break free from DeepSeek Harness's sandbox controls, thanks to a flaw that allowed them to switch to a "danger-full-access" mode and write anywhere on the system. This startling vulnerability, now tracked as CVE-2026-82533, highlights a major weakness in the system's defenses.
Microsoft patches LegacyHive zero-day vulnerability
Microsoft just patched a nasty zero-day vulnerability, known as LegacyHive, that could let hackers gain administrator privileges on your Windows PC - but thankfully, it's now fixed in the August Patch Tuesday updates.
Linux Flaw Exposes Local Users to Root via Open vSwitch
A newly discovered Linux flaw, CVE-2026-64531, lets local users potentially gain root access via Open vSwitch, even without an existing OVS bridge, running ovs-vswitchd, or host-level CAP_NET_ADMIN privileges. This vulnerability, with a CVSS score of 7.8, was quickly patched after being responsibly disclosed.
AI-Assisted Research Exposes Linux Kernel Zero-Day Flaw
Researchers have uncovered a long-standing vulnerability in the Linux kernel, known as CVE-2026-53264, which allows a local user to gain root privileges by exploiting a flaw in the packet-scheduling code. This zero-day flaw was identified with the help of AI-assisted research and has since been patched.
AI-Assisted Linux Exploit Turns Local Users into Root
Researchers have uncovered a significant Linux exploit, CVE-2026-53264, that can turn local users into root users, highlighting the importance of human judgement in AI-assisted security work. This flaw, patched in June 2026, shows AI still has limitations, emphasizing the need for human oversight.
Ubuntu Flaw Exposes Local Users to Root Access on Default Desktop Installs
A newly discovered security flaw, CVE-2026-8933, can give local users full root control of Ubuntu Desktop installs, posing a significant threat to default installations of Ubuntu Desktop 24.04, 25.10, and 26.04. This high-severity vulnerability highlights the importance of staying vigilant about system security.
Ubuntu Vulnerability Exposes Local Users to Root Access Risk
A newly discovered vulnerability, CVE-2026-8933, puts users of Ubuntu Desktop 24.04, 25.10, and 26.04 at risk of full root access, allowing any local user to gain unrestricted control on default installs. This high-severity flaw can be easily exploited by a local, unprivileged user, making immediate attention crucial.
Nightmare Eclipse Unveils Windows Zero-Day Exploit
A security researcher is sounding the alarm about a newly unveiled Windows zero-day exploit, dubbed LegacyHive, which targets the Windows User Profile Service and could allow for a full system compromise. The proof-of-concept exploit, published by a zero-day hunter known as NightmareEclipse, is just a glimpse of the potential damage this vulnerability could cause.
Linux Flaw Exposes Multi-Tenant Environments to Root Privilege Escalation
A newly discovered Linux flaw, dubbed DirtyClone, lets local users easily gain root privileges on popular systems like Debian, Ubuntu, and Fedora - putting shared environments at risk of a devastating breach. This vulnerability is especially alarming in setups with user namespaces enabled or privileged containers deployed.
Linux Kernel Flaw Enables Unprivileged Root Access
A shocking Linux kernel flaw, dubbed pedit COW, allows unprivileged users to gain root access on vulnerable hosts by cleverly corrupting an in-memory cached copy of a setuid binary. This stealthy exploit requires no disk changes, making it nearly undetectable.
Disgruntled Bug Hunter Exposes New Windows 0-Day Vulnerability
A disgruntled bug hunter, known as Nightmare Eclipse, has revealed a new zero-day vulnerability called RoguePlanet, which can give attackers SYSTEM-level control over fully patched Windows 10 and 11 systems. The exploit, fueled by a grudge against Microsoft, targets a weakness in Windows Defender.
Microsoft Fixes Zero-Days in June Patch Tuesday Update
Microsoft just dropped some critical patches in its June update, fixing three zero-day vulnerabilities that left Windows systems open to attacks - and one security researcher isn't happy about the delayed fix. The update squashes bugs that allowed hackers to escalate privileges or bypass disk encryption.
Cisco SD-WAN Manager Flaw Actively Exploited
Cisco is warning of a high-severity vulnerability in its Catalyst SD-WAN Manager that allows attackers to execute commands as root, and it's already being exploited by hackers. This flaw, rated 7.8 on the CVSS scale, could give attackers control over your system if they're able to upload a malicious file.
Microsoft Discloses Actively Exploited Defender Vulnerabilities
Microsoft warns of two critical vulnerabilities in its Defender software, one of which is being actively exploited by attackers to gain elevated privileges, and the other causing denial-of-service issues. These flaws, tracked as CVE-2026-41091 and CVE-2026-45498, highlight the need for urgent patching to prevent system compromise.
Linux Flaw Enables Root Command Execution on Major Distros
A newly discovered Linux flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-46333, allows hackers to easily gain root access on major distributions, putting countless systems at risk. This nine-year-old vulnerability, just recently exposed, is a wake-up call for Linux users everywhere.
Exploit Released for PinTheft Linux Flaw
A critical Linux flaw, dubbed PinTheft, has been exploited, allowing local attackers to gain root privileges on affected systems through a complex vulnerability in the Reliable Datagram Sockets (RDS) code. This security gap can be triggered by a specific interaction between RDS zerocopy and io_uring fixed buffers.
Windows Zero-Day Exploit MiniPlasma Exposes SYSTEM Vulnerability
A security researcher has uncovered a Windows zero-day exploit, dubbed MiniPlasma, that can grant SYSTEM privileges on fully patched systems, revealing a vulnerability that was originally reported to Microsoft in 2020 but left unpatched. The researcher released a proof-of-concept exploit on GitHub, highlighting the issue with the Cloud Filter driver.
Hackers Disrupt Microsoft Exchange, Windows 11 at Pwn2Own Contest
Security researchers just scored big at Pwn2Own Berlin 2026, raking in $385,750 for exploiting 15 zero-day vulnerabilities in top tech targets like Microsoft Exchange and Windows 11. The contest, running from May 14-16, offers up to $1 million in prizes for hacking the latest enterprise technologies.