Postecert FIRMAOK!: Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CVE-2026-9661 is a high-severity uncontrolled search path element vulnerability in Postecert FIRMAOK! from Poste Italiane, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0 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. Affected Postecert FIRMAOK! versions: 1.6.29. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.18% 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
- Check which version of Postecert FIRMAOK! you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poste Italiane | Postecert FIRMAOK! | 1.6.29 | Not stated |
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
- HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
- 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:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (vulncheck.com).
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 7.3 | High | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.0 | High | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
Official description
Poste Italiane Postecert FIRMAOK! 1.6.29 on Windows contains a local privilege escalation vulnerability caused by an uncontrolled OpenSSL search path, where launcher.exe and dependent executables such as updater.exe and tslupdater.exe load OpenSSL configuration and library files from a hardcoded, user-writable directory that does not exist by default. A low-privileged local attacker can create this missing directory and place malicious OpenSSL configuration or library files inside it, causing the application to load and execute attacker-controlled code with the privileges of the user running it, enabling horizontal or, when a higher-privileged user runs the application, vertical privilege escalation up to full system compromise.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Uncontrolled Search Path Element
The product uses a fixed or controlled search path to find resources, but one or more locations in that path can be under the control of unintended actors.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Hard-code the search path to a set of known-safe values (such as system directories), or only allow them to be specified by the administrator in a configuration file. Do not allow these settings to be modified by an external party. Be careful to avoid related weaknesses such as CWE-426 and CWE-428.
- When invoking other programs, specify those programs using fully-qualified pathnames. While this is an effective approach, code that uses fully-qualified pathnames might not be portable to other systems that do not use the same pathnames. The portability can be improved by locating the full-qualified paths in a centralized, easily-modifiable location within the source code, and having the code refer to these paths.
- Remove or restrict all environment settings before invoking other programs. This includes the PATH environment variable, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, and other settings that identify the location of code libraries, and any application-specific search paths.
More Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerabilities (CWE-427)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
References
Other references
Recent Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerabilities
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.3 Critical severity
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