CVE-2026-42061 in DeviceLock DLP
Summary
by MITRE • 06/03/2026
Local privilege escalation due to excessive permissions assigned to child processes. The following products are affected: Acronis DeviceLock DLP (Windows) before build 9.0.15051.93227.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical local privilege escalation flaw that stems from improper permission assignment within the Acronis DeviceLock DLP Windows implementation. The issue manifests when child processes inherit excessive privileges from their parent processes, creating a pathway for unauthorized code execution with elevated system rights. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-276 which specifically addresses incorrect permissions for created files or directories, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers privilege escalation through the exploitation of process permissions. The affected version Acronis DeviceLock DLP before build 9.0.15051.93227 demonstrates a failure in proper privilege separation mechanisms, where child processes are granted unnecessary administrative or system-level permissions that should be restricted to the parent process only.
The technical implementation flaw occurs at the process creation and permission inheritance level within the Windows operating system environment. When DeviceLock DLP creates child processes to handle various security functions, these processes are not properly constrained in their privilege levels. This misconfiguration allows malicious actors or compromised components to leverage the elevated privileges inherited by child processes, potentially enabling them to execute arbitrary code with system-level access. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level where privilege escalation can result in complete system compromise. The flaw exists in the Windows process management subsystem where proper privilege isolation is not enforced between parent and child processes, creating a persistent security weakness that can be exploited by local attackers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass full system compromise capabilities. An attacker with local access to a system running the vulnerable DeviceLock DLP version could potentially execute malicious code with elevated privileges, access sensitive data, modify system configurations, or establish persistence mechanisms. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on DeviceLock DLP for endpoint protection, as it undermines the very security controls designed to protect against unauthorized access. The threat landscape is particularly concerning given that this vulnerability can be exploited by attackers who have already gained a foothold on the system, making it a valuable tool for lateral movement and privilege escalation within enterprise networks. This represents a significant risk to organizations that depend on DeviceLock DLP for device protection, as the vulnerability could allow attackers to bypass the very security controls that are supposed to prevent unauthorized access to corporate devices.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of the affected DeviceLock DLP version to build 9.0.15051.93227 or later, which contains the necessary permission restriction fixes. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring for unauthorized process creation and privilege escalation attempts, particularly focusing on child processes that inherit elevated permissions. System administrators should conduct privilege audits to identify and restrict unnecessary permissions assigned to process creation functions. The implementation of principle of least privilege practices should be enforced across all security applications, ensuring that child processes only inherit the minimum permissions necessary for their intended functions. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing process isolation techniques and monitoring for anomalous privilege escalation patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar permission misconfigurations in other security applications. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper privilege management in security applications and the potential consequences when these controls are inadequate.