CVE-2026-92200 in Foglight for Databases
Summary
by MITRE • 11/04/2026
Quest Foglight for Databases Incorrect Permission Assignment Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Quest Foglight for Databases. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.
The specific flaw exists within the product installer. The issue results from incorrect permissions on a folder used by the product. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-31118.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2026
Quest Foglight for Databases contains an insecure default configuration that permits local privilege escalation, specifically identified as CVE-2024-something or historically linked to ZDI-CAN-31118 depending on the specific patch cycle and vendor disclosure timeline. This vulnerability stems from a fundamental misconfiguration within the software installation process rather than a complex logic error in the application code itself. The core technical flaw involves incorrect file system permissions assigned to critical directories used by the Foglight agent or installer components. These directories are configured with overly permissive access control lists that allow standard, non-privileged users on the operating system to write to locations where executable files or configuration scripts reside. This deviation from the principle of least privilege creates a pathway for attackers who have already achieved low-level code execution on the target machine to manipulate these resources and escalate their privileges significantly higher within the system hierarchy.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe because it allows an attacker with basic user access to gain SYSTEM level privileges, which represents the highest level of trust in Windows operating systems. Once an attacker exploits the incorrect folder permissions, they can inject malicious code or modify existing binaries that are executed by the Foglight service running under the local system account. By doing so, any subsequent execution of these modified components occurs with full administrative rights, effectively bypassing all standard security controls and user access restrictions. This capability enables a wide range of destructive actions including the installation of persistent backdoors, theft of sensitive database credentials stored in configuration files, modification or deletion of critical data, and lateral movement across the network using the compromised high-privilege account as a foothold for further attacks against other systems that trust this server identity.
From an industry standard perspective, this vulnerability is classified under CWE-250 which denotes execution with unnecessary privileges, and more specifically aligns with CWE-732 regarding incorrect permission assignment for critical resources. The attack vector corresponds to the ATT&CK technique T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities or misconfigurations to gain elevated access. Furthermore, it relates to T1546 Event Triggered Execution if the escalation relies on specific system events triggering the modified components with high privileges. Understanding these mappings helps security teams contextualize the risk within broader threat landscapes and align remediation efforts with established best practices for securing enterprise monitoring tools against insider threats or compromised low-privilege accounts that may result from phishing, malware infection, or physical access incidents.
Mitigation strategies must focus on hardening the file system permissions associated with the Foglight installation directories immediately upon deployment. Administrators should audit all folders and files within the Quest Foglight for Databases directory structure to ensure that write permissions are restricted exclusively to the service account running the application and authorized administrators, removing any explicit or inherited write access granted to Users groups or authenticated users. It is critical to apply vendor-provided patches as soon as they become available, as these updates typically correct the default installer configuration files to enforce stricter security descriptors during setup. Additionally organizations should implement strict endpoint detection and response policies that monitor for unusual file modifications in system directories by non-administrative processes, thereby detecting potential exploitation attempts even if the underlying permission flaw remains temporarily unpatched due to operational constraints such as maintenance windows or change management delays.