CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-14172NVD status: Awaiting Analysis

InsightVM: Execution with Unnecessary Privileges

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-14172 is a high-severity execution with unnecessary privileges vulnerability in InsightVM from Rapid7, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 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 1.1.3935 as the first without the flaw, so updating InsightVM to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.16% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update InsightVM to 1.1.3935 or a later version.
  2. Update Nexpose to 1.1.3935 or a later version.
  3. Update Insight Agent to 0.0.245.0 or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Rapid7InsightVMbefore 1.1.39351.1.3935
Rapid7Nexposebefore 1.1.39351.1.3935
Rapid7Insight Agentbefore 0.0.245.00.0.245.0

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.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (rapid7.com).

Official description

Rapid7 InsightVM, Nexpose, and the Insight Agent execute discovered executables during authenticated assessment without validating file ownership, allowing a local low-privileged user to run code as the scan credential (Scan Engine) or as root/SYSTEM (Insight Agent). Fixed in Scan Engine content 1.1.3935 and Insight Agent content component 0.0.245.0.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Execution with Unnecessary Privileges

The product performs an operation at a privilege level that is higher than the minimum level required, which creates new weaknesses or amplifies the consequences of other weaknesses.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Run your code using the lowest privileges that are required to accomplish the necessary tasks. If possible, create isolated accounts with limited privileges that are only used for a single task. That way, a successful attack will not immediately give the attacker access to the rest of the software or its environment. For example, database applications rarely need to run as the database administrator, especially in day-to-day operations.
  • Identify the functionality that requires additional privileges, such as access to privileged operating system resources. Wrap and centralize this functionality if possible, and isolate the privileged code as much as possible from other code. Raise privileges as late as possible, and drop them as soon as possible to avoid CWE-271. Avoid weaknesses such as CWE-288 and CWE-420 by protecting all possible communication channels that could interact with the privileged code, such as a secondary socket that is only intended to be accessed by administrators.
  • Identify the functionality that requires additional privileges, such as access to privileged operating system resources. Wrap and centralize this functionality if possible, and isolate the privileged code as much as possible from other code. Raise privileges as late as possible, and drop them as soon as possible to avoid CWE-271. Avoid weaknesses such as CWE-288 and CWE-420 by protecting all possible communication channels that could interact with the privileged code, such as a secondary socket that is only intended to be accessed by administrators.

More Execution with Unnecessary Privileges vulnerabilities (CWE-250)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Execution with Unnecessary Privileges vulnerabilities

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