CVE-2026-34054
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2026-34054 is a high-severity Uncontrolled Search Path Element (CWE-427) vulnerability. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Path Interception (T1034); ranked at the 50th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to CM-6 (Configuration Settings) and AC-3 (Access Enforcement) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2026-34054 is a vulnerability in vcpkg, a free and open-source C/C++ package manager, affecting Windows builds of OpenSSL in versions prior to 3.6.1#3. The issue stems from vcpkg configuring the OpenSSL openssldir to a path originating from the build machine, which remains embedded in the binaries distributed to customers. This creates an untrusted search path (CWE-427) that can be exploited on end-user systems. The vulnerability received a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) and was published on 2026-03-31.
A local attacker with low privileges on a customer Windows machine can exploit this by targeting the build machine-derived openssldir path, which may be writable or controllable in the user's environment. Successful exploitation allows high-impact compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, potentially enabling arbitrary code execution, data theft, or system disruption through malicious files or configurations loaded by OpenSSL.
Microsoft's vcpkg security advisory (GHSA-p322-v6vw-vrq9) and related GitHub pull request #50518 confirm the issue was patched in vcpkg version 3.6.1#3 via commit 5111afdf55cc1429d9951e4c7b02010e659346a9, which corrects the openssldir configuration to prevent reliance on build-time paths. Security practitioners should update to 3.6.1#3 or later and review OpenSSL configurations in vcpkg-built applications on Windows.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-17285
Vulnerability Data
vcpkg is a free and open-source C/C++ package manager. Prior to version 3.6.1#3, vcpkg's Windows builds of OpenSSL set openssldir to a path on the build machine, making that path be attackable later on customer machines. This issue has been…
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patched in version 3.6.1#3.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 2 hardening rules · 1 OS baseline
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Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Establishes restrictive configuration settings that can define and lock down approved search paths.
Enforces approved authorizations so that only intended actors can place or modify elements in the search path.
Limits privileges so unintended actors cannot write to or control directories in the product's search path.
Restricts logical and physical access to change system configuration, including search-path settings and directories.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure-development practices directly address design of search paths and resource loading.
Hardened configuration baselines can enforce safe search-path settings and reduce exposure.
Execution allow-listing can block malicious binaries placed in hijackable search locations.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Security testing can detect uncontrolled search-path issues but does not prevent them by itself.
Secure coding practices directly address the use of fixed or controlled search paths that can be influenced by unintended actors.
Configuration management can enforce approved search-path settings but does not inherently prevent the weakness.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (higher-evidence rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
- V-248577 OL 8 must enable kernel parameters to enforce Discretionary Access Control (DAC) on symlinks. blocks CWE-427