Description

DLL Search Order Hijacking in LUCID Vision Labs Arena SDK 1.0.80.49 on Windows allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the application by placing a malicious DLL in a user-controlled directory listed in the PATH environment variable, which the SDK traverses when a required dependency is not found locally.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "8.8",
  "pubDate": "2026-08-07T09:16:59.430Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-08-07T09:16:59.430Z",
  "executiveSummary": "A DLL Search Order Hijacking vulnerability exists in LUCID Vision Labs Arena SDK version 1.0.80.49 on the Windows operating system. This security flaw enables a local attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution under the security context of the target application. The vulnerability stems from insecure dynamic library loading practices where the SDK traverses user-controlled directories specified within the system PATH environment variable to locate missing required dependencies. Risk implications include potential local privilege escalation and system compromise if an application utilizing the affected SDK runs with elevated privileges. Exploitation requires the attacker to possess local access to the target system in order to place a malicious DLL into a directory referenced by the PATH environment variable that precedes the legitimate application or system directory.",
  "technicalDetails": "The root cause of this vulnerability is insecure DLL loading behavior inherent to the Windows operating system and exacerbated by how the LUCID Vision Labs Arena SDK version 1.0.80.49 attempts to resolve its dependencies. When the SDK initiates a dynamic link library load operation for a required dependency that is absent from the application's local execution directory, the Windows loader falls back to searching directories specified in the system and user PATH environment variables.\nAn attacker with local access can exploit this behavior by identifying a user-controlled directory that is included within the targeted system or user PATH environment variable. The attacker then crafts a malicious DLL carrying the exact filename of the legitimate dependency expected by the Arena SDK. This rogue DLL is placed directly inside the identified user-controlled directory.\nWhen an application incorporating the vulnerable LUCID Vision Labs Arena SDK is executed, the runtime environment attempts to load the necessary dependency. Because the dependency is missing locally, the search mechanism queries the directories listed in the PATH environment variable. Upon encountering the user-controlled directory containing the malicious DLL prior to any secure system repository, the application loads the attacker-supplied payload into its own address space.\nThe payload executes automatically with the privileges of the host application, requiring no authentication or network exposure since the attack vector is strictly local. Depending on the privilege level of the host application utilizing the SDK, post-exploitation impact can range from standard user compromise to the execution of code with administrative or system-level privileges."
}