{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2025-43079","assignerOrgId":"8a309ac4-d8c7-4735-9c1d-ca39c5dfbcda","state":"PUBLISHED","assignerShortName":"Qualys","dateReserved":"2025-04-16T14:43:29.660Z","datePublished":"2025-11-10T17:10:31.066Z","dateUpdated":"2026-03-18T17:10:59.799Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"providerMetadata":{"orgId":"8a309ac4-d8c7-4735-9c1d-ca39c5dfbcda","shortName":"Qualys","dateUpdated":"2026-03-18T17:10:59.799Z"},"title":"Local Privilege Escalation via qagent_uninstall.sh Qualys Cloud Agents","datePublic":"2025-11-10T16:32:00.000Z","problemTypes":[{"descriptions":[{"lang":"en","cweId":"CWE-426","description":"CWE-426 Untrusted Search Path","type":"CWE"}]}],"impacts":[{"capecId":"CAPEC-233","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"CAPEC-233 Privilege Escalation"}]}],"affected":[{"vendor":"Qualys Inc","product":"Qualys 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Qualys Cloud Agent included a bundled uninstall script (qagent_uninstall.sh), specific to Mac and Linux supported versions that invoked multiple system commands without using absolute paths and without sanitizing the $PATH environment. If the uninstall script is executed with elevated privileges (e.g., via sudo) in an environment where $PATH has been manipulated, an attacker with root/sudo privileges could cause malicious executables to be run in place of the intended system binaries. This behavior can be leveraged for local privilege escalation and arbitrary command execution under elevated privileges.","supportingMedia":[{"type":"text/html","base64":false,"value":"<span>The Qualys Cloud Agent included a bundled uninstall script (</span><span>qagent_uninstall.sh</span><span>), specific to Mac and Linux supported versions that invoked multiple system commands </span><span>without using absolute paths and without sanitizing the </span><span>$PATH</span><span> environment</span><span>. If the uninstall script is executed with elevated privileges (e.g., via </span><span>sudo</span><span>) in an environment where </span><span>$PATH</span><span> has been manipulated, an attacker with </span><span>root</span><span>/</span><span>sudo</span><span> privileges could cause malicious executables to be run in place of the intended system binaries. This behavior can be leveraged for local privilege escalation and arbitrary command execution under elevated privileges.</span><span>&nbsp;</span>"}]}],"references":[{"url":"https://www.qualys.com/security-advisories/cve-2025-43079"}],"metrics":[{"format":"CVSS","scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"GENERAL"}],"cvssV3_1":{"version":"3.1","attackVector":"LOCAL","attackComplexity":"HIGH","privilegesRequired":"HIGH","userInteraction":"REQUIRED","scope":"UNCHANGED","confidentialityImpact":"HIGH","integrityImpact":"HIGH","availabilityImpact":"HIGH","baseSeverity":"MEDIUM","baseScore":6.3,"vectorString":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"}}],"configurations":[{"lang":"en","value":"*  Local access to the system (the attacker must be local).\n\n\n  *  Ability to run sudo or root (the uninstall script requires sudo at minimum for execution or must be run as root).\n\n\n  *  Ability to modify $PATH (temporarily in the shell session used to launch the uninstall script, or persistently via writable shell configuration files such as ~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc).\n\n\n  *  Execution of qagent_uninstall.sh within the compromised environment where $PATH points to attacker-controlled locations.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBecause exploitation requires the ability to run sudo (or be root), the vulnerability is not remotely exploitable by default — it relies on local privilege and environment manipulation, but the consequences are elevated (execution under high privilege).","supportingMedia":[{"type":"text/html","base64":false,"value":"<div><div><ol><li><p>Local access to the system (the attacker must be local).</p></li><li><p>Ability to run sudo or root (the uninstall script requires sudo at minimum for execution or must be run as root).</p></li><li><p>Ability to modify $PATH (temporarily in the shell session used to launch the uninstall script, or persistently via writable shell configuration files such as ~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc).</p></li><li><p>Execution of qagent_uninstall.sh within the compromised environment where $PATH points to attacker-controlled locations.</p></li></ol></div></div><div><div><p>Because exploitation requires the ability to run sudo (or be root), the vulnerability is not remotely exploitable by default — it relies on local privilege and environment manipulation, but the consequences are elevated (execution under high privilege). </p></div></div>\n\n<br>"}]}],"workarounds":[{"lang":"en","value":"Customers are advised to check workaround solutions listed on \n\n https://www.qualys.com/security-advisories/cve-2025-43079","supportingMedia":[{"type":"text/html","base64":false,"value":"Customers are advised to check workaround solutions listed on&nbsp;\n\n<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https://www.qualys.com/security-advisories/cve-2025-43079\">https://www.qualys.com/security-advisories/cve-2025-43079</a>"}]}],"solutions":[{"lang":"en","value":"Customers are advised to update to non-affected versions of Qualys product.","supportingMedia":[{"type":"text/html","base64":false,"value":"<span style=\"background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\">Customers are advised to update to non-affected versions of Qualys product</span><span style=\"background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\">. </span><span style=\"background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\">&nbsp;</span>"}]}],"credits":[{"lang":"en","value":"Brent Zaltsman (AfricanHipp0)","type":"finder"}],"source":{"discovery":"EXTERNAL"},"x_generator":{"engine":"Vulnogram 0.5.0"}},"adp":[{"metrics":[{"other":{"type":"ssvc","content":{"id":"CVE-2025-43079","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"Exploitation":"none"},{"Automatable":"no"},{"Technical Impact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2025-11-11T04:55:38.944965Z"}}}],"title":"CISA ADP Vulnrichment","providerMetadata":{"orgId":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0","shortName":"CISA-ADP","dateUpdated":"2026-02-26T17:47:03.045Z"}}]}}