CVE-2026-64952 in Velociraptor
Summary
by MITRE • 08/12/2026
The hunt_delete() VQL function allows deleting hunts.
Velociraptor misapplied the permission check requiring only COLLECT_CLIENT (usually assigned to the "investigator" role) instead of the "DELETE_RESULTS" permission (usually only assigned to "administrators").
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2026
The vulnerability in question involves a critical permission bypass flaw within the Velociraptor incident response platform that affects the hunt_delete() VQL function. This function is designed to allow deletion of active hunts within the system, which represents a significant operational capability for threat hunters and security analysts. The misconfiguration stems from an insufficient authorization check implementation where the system only validates whether a user possesses the COLLECT_CLIENT permission rather than enforcing the more restrictive DELETE_RESULTS permission that should be required for such destructive operations.
This technical flaw creates a severe privilege escalation vector within the Velociraptor environment, as users assigned to the "investigator" role can execute hunt deletion commands without proper administrative authorization. The COLLECT_CLIENT permission is typically intended for collecting artifacts from client systems and does not logically encompass the ability to remove data or operational artifacts from the system. This misalignment between permission scope and function requirements violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and role-based access control that are essential for maintaining data integrity and system security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple permission bypass, as it allows unauthorized users to potentially disrupt ongoing investigations by deleting hunt results, artifact collections, or other critical forensic data. Attackers who have gained access to an investigator-level account could leverage this flaw to obscure their activities or destroy evidence that might otherwise be valuable for security analysis. This capability directly affects the integrity of the incident response process and could compromise the ability of security teams to conduct thorough investigations. The vulnerability also creates potential for denial-of-service scenarios where legitimate hunts are deleted by unauthorized personnel, disrupting ongoing security operations.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this issue aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that forms the foundation of secure system design. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this as a privilege escalation technique where an adversary elevates their access level through misconfigured permissions rather than exploiting other attack vectors. Organizations using Velociraptor should immediately audit their permission assignments and ensure that DELETE_RESULTS permissions are properly restricted to administrator-level accounts only. The mitigation strategy requires implementing proper authorization checks for the hunt_delete() function, enforcing role-based access controls that align with the principle of least privilege, and conducting comprehensive security reviews of all VQL functions to identify similar permission bypass vulnerabilities.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper authorization validation in security tools and highlights how seemingly minor configuration errors can create significant security risks. The flaw represents a failure in the security architecture that allows for unauthorized data manipulation through legitimate system functions, emphasizing the need for thorough security testing of access control mechanisms. Organizations should implement regular permission audits and establish clear separation between operational roles and administrative privileges to prevent similar issues from occurring in other security tools or platforms within their environment.