Is CVE-2022-26488 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2022-26488 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2022-26488 be exploited remotely?

No. CVE-2022-26488 requires local access to exploit.

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2022-26488?

CVE-2022-26488 has a CVSS score of 7.0 (HIGH).

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HIGH

CVE-2022-26488

CWE-426Published: March 10, 2022· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.0

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

In Python before 3.10.3 on Windows, local users can gain privileges because the search path is inadequately secured. The installer may allow a local attacker to add user-writable directories to the system search path. To exploit, an administrator must have installed Python for all users and enabled PATH entries. A non-administrative user can trigger a repair that incorrectly adds user-writable paths into PATH, enabling search-path hijacking of other users and system services. This affects Python (CPython) through 3.7.12, 3.8.x through 3.8.12, 3.9.x through 3.9.10, and 3.10.x through 3.10.2.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2022-26488 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.0.