CVE-2026-81572
Local Privilege Escalation in CodeMeter Runtime on Windows
Description
cmu.exe --create-io --file C: creates a predictable temporary file under C:\CM-Stick. The directory and file paths are not properly checked for NTFS reparse points, such as junctions or symbolic links, before file operations are performed. A local attacker can create a junction at the temporary file that points to an arbitrary system path. Because CodeMeter Runtime runs with System privileges, this could allow arbitrary files to be deleted with System privileges and potentially enable local privilege escalation.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 27, 2026, 10:16 a.m.
Last Modified :
Aug. 27, 2026, 10:16 a.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
2fc02b1f-71e7-4514-a878-169626f68903
Affected Products
The following products are affected by CVE-2026-81572
vulnerability.
Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the
products
that
are
affected, the information is not represented in the table below.
No affected product recoded yet
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | 2fc02b1f-71e7-4514-a878-169626f68903 | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | MITRE-CVE |
Solution
- Validate all file paths for reparse points.
- Apply vendor patches or updates.
- Restrict system privileges for CodeMeter Runtime.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-81572.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-81572 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-81572
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-81572 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-81572 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
New CVE Received by 2fc02b1f-71e7-4514-a878-169626f68903
Aug. 27, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description cmu.exe --create-io --file C: creates a predictable temporary file under C:\CM-Stick. The directory and file paths are not properly checked for NTFS reparse points, such as junctions or symbolic links, before file operations are performed. A local attacker can create a junction at the temporary file that points to an arbitrary system path. Because CodeMeter Runtime runs with System privileges, this could allow arbitrary files to be deleted with System privileges and potentially enable local privilege escalation. Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Added CWE CWE-59 Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/81xxx/CVE-2026-81572.json">CVE-2026-81572</a> Added Reference https://cdn.wibu.com/fileadmin/wibu_downloads/security_advisories/AdvisoryWIBU-103081.pdf Added Reference https://shelltrail.com/research/local-privilege-escalation-to-system-in-wibu-systems-codemeter-application