CVE-2026-25770
Wazuh has Privilege Escalation to Root via Cluster Protocol File Write
Wazuh is a free and open source platform used for threat prevention, detection, and response. Starting in version 3.9.0 and prior to version 4.14.3, a privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Wazuh Manager's cluster synchronization protocol. The wazuh-clusterd service allows authenticated nodes to write arbitrary files to the manager’s file system with the permissions of the wazuh system user. Due to insecure default permissions, the wazuh user has write access to the manager's main configuration file (/var/ossec/etc/ossec.conf). By leveraging the cluster protocol to overwrite ossec.conf, an attacker can inject a malicious <localfile> command block. The wazuh-logcollector service, which runs as root, parses this configuration and executes the injected command. This chain allows an attacker with cluster credentials to gain full Root Remote Code Execution, violating the principle of least privilege and bypassing the intended security model. Version 4.14.3 fixes the issue.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
9.1
Wazuh has Privilege Escalation to Root via Cluster Protocol File Write
Wazuh is a free and open source platform used for threat prevention, detection, and response. Starting in version 3.9.0 and prior to version 4.14.3, a privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Wazuh Manager's cluster synchronization protocol. The wazuh-clusterd service allows authenticated nodes to write arbitrary files to the manager’s file system with the permissions of the wazuh system user. Due to insecure default permissions, the wazuh user has write access to the manager's main configuration file (/var/ossec/etc/ossec.conf). By leveraging the cluster protocol to overwrite ossec.conf, an attacker can inject a malicious <localfile> command block. The wazuh-logcollector service, which runs as root, parses this configuration and executes the injected command. This chain allows an attacker with cluster credentials to gain full Root Remote Code Execution, violating the principle of least privilege and bypassing the intended security model. Version 4.14.3 fixes the issue.
- Record
CVE-2026-25770- CVSS 3.1
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22, CWE-269, CWE-732
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-12597
9.1
Wazuh is a free and open source platform used for threat prevention, detection, and response. Starting in version 3.9.0 and prior to version 4.14.3, a privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Wazuh Manager's cluster synchronization protocol. The wazuh-clusterd service allows authenticated nodes to write arbitrary files to the manager’s file system with the permissions of the wazuh system user. Due to insecure default permissions, the wazuh user has write access to the manager's main configuration file (/var/ossec/etc/ossec.conf). By leveraging the cluster protocol to overwrite ossec.conf, an attacker can inject a malicious <localfile> command block. The wazuh-logcollector service, which runs as root, parses this configuration and executes the injected command. This chain allows an attacker with cluster credentials to gain full Root Remote Code Execution, violating the principle of least privilege and bypassing the intended security model. Version 4.14.3 fixes the issue.
- Record
EUVD-2026-12597- CVSS 3.1
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
9.1
Wazuh is a free and open source platform used for threat prevention, detection, and response. Starting in version 3.9.0 and prior to version 4.14.3, a privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Wazuh Manager's cluster synchronization protocol. The wazuh-clusterd service allows authenticated nodes to write arbitrary files to the manager’s file system with the permissions of the wazuh system user. Due to insecure default permissions, the wazuh user has write access to the manager's main configuration file (/var/ossec/etc/ossec.conf). By leveraging the cluster protocol to overwrite ossec.conf, an attacker can inject a malicious <localfile> command block. The wazuh-logcollector service, which runs as root, parses this configuration and executes the injected command. This chain allows an attacker with cluster credentials to gain full Root Remote Code Execution, violating the principle of least privilege and bypassing the intended security model. Version 4.14.3 fixes the issue.
- Record
CVE-2026-25770- CVSS 3.1
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22, CWE-269, CWE-732
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
9.1
Wazuh has Privilege Escalation to Root via Cluster Protocol File Write
Wazuh is a free and open source platform used for threat prevention, detection, and response. Starting in version 3.9.0 and prior to version 4.14.3, a privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Wazuh Manager's cluster synchronization protocol. The wazuh-clusterd service allows authenticated nodes to write arbitrary files to the manager’s file system with the permissions of the wazuh system user. Due to insecure default permissions, the wazuh user has write access to the manager's main configuration file (/var/ossec/etc/ossec.conf). By leveraging the cluster protocol to overwrite ossec.conf, an attacker can inject a malicious <localfile> command block. The wazuh-logcollector service, which runs as root, parses this configuration and executes the injected command. This chain allows an attacker with cluster credentials to gain full Root Remote Code Execution, violating the principle of least privilege and bypassing the intended security model. Version 4.14.3 fixes the issue.
- Record
CVE-2026-25770- CVSS 3.1
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22, CWE-269, CWE-732
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-25770 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.1) in Wazuh, published March 17, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.03%, the 64th percentile. No source names a fixed version.