CVE-2026-81192 in OpenTelemetry.Resources.Host
Summary
by MITRE • 09/09/2026
`OpenTelemetry.Resources.Host` NuGet package, which provides OpenTelemetry resource detectors for host, is affected by an untrusted search path vulnerability on macOS. Prior to version 1.16.0-beta.2, the `host.id` resource attribute detector launches the `sh` and `ioreg` executables by bare name rather than by absolute path, so both are resolved through the `PATH` environment variable. A local attacker who is less privileged than the host application, and who can influence `PATH` or write to a directory that appears in `PATH` ahead of the system directories, can have an arbitrary binary executed in the application's security context, resulting in local code execution/privilege escalation. This vulnerability only affect macOS hosts - Linux and Windows hosts are unaffected. Version 1.16.0-beta.2 contains a patch. No known workarounds are available.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2026
The OpenTelemetry.Resources.Host NuGet package, designed to provide resource detectors for host information within the OpenTelemetry observability framework, is susceptible to an untrusted search path vulnerability specifically on macOS operating systems. This security flaw arises from a fundamental implementation error in how external system utilities are invoked by the application. Prior to version 1.16.0-beta.2, the component responsible for detecting and populating the host.id resource attribute fails to specify absolute paths when launching critical executables such as sh and ioreg. Instead of referencing these binaries via their full file system locations, the code relies on bare names, which forces the operating system's dynamic linker or shell interpreter to resolve them by searching through directories listed in the PATH environment variable. This reliance on relative path resolution introduces a significant security risk because it allows any directory present earlier in the PATH sequence than the legitimate system directories to intercept and override these commands.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it enables local privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution within the context of the OpenTelemetry application process. An attacker with lower privileges than the host application can exploit this flaw by manipulating the PATH environment variable or by placing a malicious binary in a directory that appears before system directories like /usr/bin or /bin in the search path. When the vulnerable component attempts to execute sh or ioreg, it inadvertently runs the attacker-controlled executable instead of the legitimate system utility. Because OpenTelemetry agents often run with elevated permissions to collect telemetry data from various sources, successfully exploiting this vulnerability grants the attacker code execution rights equivalent to those of the application, potentially leading full control over the host machine and access to sensitive observability data or other processes running under the same user context.
This specific attack vector is classified as CWE-427: Uncontrolled Search Path Element, which describes situations where a software product does not properly restrict search paths for executable files, allowing an attacker to influence which program runs. In terms of offensive security tactics, this vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059.004: Command and Scripting Interpreter via sh or similar shell execution mechanisms, as the exploitation involves tricking a legitimate process into executing arbitrary commands through interpreter abuse. It is important to note that this vulnerability is platform-specific and affects only macOS hosts; Linux and Windows implementations of OpenTelemetry are not impacted due to differences in how these operating systems handle path resolution and executable permissions for such utilities.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must ensure they upgrade the OpenTelemetry.Resources.Host package to version 1.16.0-beta.2 or later, where the developers have patched the issue by implementing absolute paths for all external command executions. Since no alternative workarounds are currently available, relying on environment variable restrictions is not a viable defense strategy due to the complexity of managing PATH variables across diverse deployment environments and user configurations. Security teams should also audit their CI/CD pipelines and dependency management tools to prevent older vulnerable versions from being deployed in production environments, thereby closing the window for local attackers attempting privilege escalation through this specific untrusted search path flaw.