CVE-2026-75782 in Aspera Enterprise WebApps
Summary
by MITRE • 10/13/2026
IBM Aspera Enterprise WebApps 1.0.0 through 1.0.6 could allow a local attacker to gain elevated privileges due to a misconfigured PATH environment variable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2026
The vulnerability identified in IBM Aspera Enterprise WebApps versions 1.0.0 through 1.0.6 stems from an insecure configuration of the system's PATH environment variable, which creates a pathway for local privilege escalation attacks. In Unix-like operating systems and Windows environments alike, the PATH variable dictates the sequence of directories that the operating system searches when executing commands or binaries without specifying their full absolute path. When this variable is misconfigured to include writable directories in an early search position, it allows any user with access to those specific directories to manipulate which executable runs during a privileged operation. This flaw effectively undermines the principle of least privilege by allowing lower-privileged users to intercept and hijack system calls intended for higher-level processes or administrative functions within the Aspera application suite.
From a technical perspective, this issue is classified under CWE-427, which describes Uncontrolled Search Path Element. The core mechanism involves an attacker creating a malicious executable file with the same name as a legitimate command that the vulnerable application invokes via its PATH variable. Because the writable directory containing the attacker's payload appears earlier in the search path than the system directories where the genuine binary resides, the operating system executes the attacker's code instead of the intended program. If the Aspera service or any associated process runs with elevated privileges, such as root on Linux or SYSTEM/Administrator on Windows, it will inadvertently execute the malicious script or binary with those high-level permissions. This results in a complete compromise of the underlying host system, granting the local attacker full control over the server infrastructure hosting the vulnerable software version.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, particularly for organizations relying on IBM Aspera Enterprise WebApps for secure file transfer operations within enterprise environments. A successful exploitation allows an authenticated but low-privileged user to escalate their access rights significantly without needing external network-based exploits or complex social engineering tactics. This local privilege escalation can lead to the exfiltration of sensitive data stored on the server, modification or deletion of critical system files, installation of persistent backdoors for future remote access, and lateral movement across the internal network if the compromised host serves as a pivot point. The ease of exploitation means that any user account with shell access or file write permissions in the affected directories can trigger this condition, making it a high-risk vulnerability even against users who might otherwise be considered low-threat actors within an organization's security posture.
To mitigate this risk, administrators must immediately audit and correct the PATH environment variable configurations for all accounts associated with IBM Aspera Enterprise WebApps services on versions 1.0.0 through 1.0.6. The primary remediation strategy involves ensuring that system directories such as /usr/bin or C:\Windows\System32 are prioritized in the search path, while removing any writable user-controlled directories from early positions in the PATH variable. Additionally, applying the latest security patches provided by IBM is critical, as newer versions of Aspera Enterprise WebApps have addressed this configuration oversight. Organizations should also implement strict file permission controls to prevent unauthorized users from writing executable files into shared or temporary directories that might be referenced during service operations. Regular auditing of environment variables and adherence to secure coding standards will help prevent similar misconfigurations in future deployments, aligning with industry best practices for hardening server environments against local privilege escalation threats as outlined by the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques related to execution hijacking and permission modification.