WatchGuard Agent: Incorrect Default Permissions
CVE-2026-115253 is a high-severity incorrect default permissions vulnerability in WatchGuard Agent from WatchGuard, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 7.3 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists version 1.25.14.0000 as the first without the flaw, so updating WatchGuard Agent to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.13% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update WatchGuard Agent to 1.25.14.0000 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on psirt.watchguard.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| WatchGuard | WatchGuard Agent | before 1.25.14.0000 | 1.25.14.0000 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Attack requirements
- PresentThe target must be in a specific state or configuration for the attack to work.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA.
Official description
An incorrect permission assignment vulnerability in the WatchGuard Agent's log directory allows a local, authenticated non-administrative user to create, modify, append to, or delete the agent's log files and write other files into the directory. This allows an attacker to tamper with or destroy the agent's security logs and stage further local attacks by placing executable content in a directory owned by a privileged service.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Incorrect Default Permissions
During installation, installed file permissions are set to allow anyone to modify those files.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- The architecture needs to access and modification attributes for files to only those users who actually require those actions.
- Compartmentalize the system to have safe areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.
More Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerabilities (CWE-276)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other vulnerabilities in WatchGuard Agent
- 9.3 Critical severity
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 7.8 High severity
Recent Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.5 High severity
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