CVE-2026-92253: WatchDog Anti-Virus Path Traversal Flaw

CVE-2026-92253 Overview

CVE-2026-92253 is an improper link resolution vulnerability [CWE-59] in the quarantine restoration process of WatchDog Anti-Virus 1.8.640 on Windows. Local, low-privileged attackers can abuse the flaw by placing a directory junction at the original file path of a quarantined item. When an administrator restores the file, the antivirus writes the quarantined content to an attacker-chosen location. This can enable modification of protected files or SYSTEM-level code execution through DLL hijacking.

Critical Impact
A local, low-privileged attacker can achieve SYSTEM-level code execution or overwrite protected files by tricking an administrator into restoring a quarantined file through a crafted directory junction.

Affected Products

WatchDog Anti-Virus 1.8.640 on Windows

Discovery Timeline

2026-09-20 - CVE-2026-92253 published to NVD
2026-09-22 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-92253

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the restore workflow of WatchDog Anti-Virus. When an administrator restores a file from quarantine, the product resolves the original file path without validating whether that path contains a filesystem reparse point. An attacker who controls a directory in their user profile can replace the original file path with a directory junction pointing to a sensitive location such as C:\Windows\System32 or an application install directory.

The restoration routine then writes the previously quarantined content into the attacker-selected destination while running with elevated privileges. This behavior is a classic link-following flaw classified under [CWE-59]. Because the write occurs in the security context of the antivirus service, it bypasses the ordinary access controls that would prevent the low-privileged user from writing to the target directory.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing reparse point validation before the file write operation. The product trusts the path recorded at quarantine time and follows any junction present at restore time. There is no check that the destination is owned by the expected user or resides on the expected volume.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access, low privileges, and user interaction from an administrator. The attacker first causes a file under a directory they control to be quarantined. The attacker then deletes the original directory and creates a directory junction at the same path that points to a privileged location. When an administrator restores the quarantined file, the payload is written to the attacker-controlled destination, enabling DLL hijacking or overwriting of protected binaries.

No verified public exploit code is available. Technical descriptions are limited to the vendor advisory. See the Watchdog Anti-Virus Release Notes and the Watchdog Vulnerability Disclosure Policy for vendor-published details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-92253

Indicators of Compromise

Creation of directory junctions or NTFS reparse points inside user-writable directories that shadow paths previously recorded by the antivirus quarantine.
Unexpected DLLs or executables appearing in privileged directories such as C:\Windows\System32 or vendor application folders shortly after a quarantine restore action.
Antivirus audit log entries showing a restore operation whose destination path differs from the recorded original path.

Detection Strategies

Monitor for mklink /J invocations and Win32 CreateSymbolicLink or DeviceIoControl reparse point set operations initiated by non-administrative users.
Correlate WatchDog Anti-Virus restore events with subsequent file writes performed by the antivirus service process to sensitive locations.
Alert on new DLLs loaded by SYSTEM-context processes from paths recently touched by a quarantine restore.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable Windows object access auditing on privileged directories to capture writes performed by the antivirus service account.
Ingest WatchDog Anti-Virus operational logs into a centralized SIEM or data lake for correlation with endpoint process telemetry.
Review administrator-initiated quarantine restore actions on a regular cadence to confirm they targeted expected file paths.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-92253

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade WatchDog Anti-Virus beyond version 1.8.640 once the vendor-patched release listed in the Watchdog Anti-Virus Release Notes is available.
Instruct administrators to avoid restoring quarantined files from user-writable directories without first verifying the target path is not a reparse point.
Restrict interactive local logon on systems where sensitive quarantine restore operations occur.

Patch Information

Refer to the Watchdog Anti-Virus Release Notes for the fixed build and to the Watchdog Vulnerability Disclosure Policy for coordinated disclosure details. Apply the vendor-supplied update to all Windows endpoints running WatchDog Anti-Virus 1.8.640.

Workarounds

Disable or restrict end-user ability to trigger quarantine restore prompts until patching is complete.
Remove the Windows privilege SeCreateSymbolicLinkPrivilege from standard users to limit junction creation on affected hosts.
Manually inspect the original path of any quarantined item for reparse points before authorizing a restore.

bash

# Verify a path is not a reparse point before restoring a quarantined file
fsutil reparsepoint query "C:\Path\To\OriginalFile"

# Remove SeCreateSymbolicLinkPrivilege from standard users via Local Security Policy
# secpol.msc > Local Policies > User Rights Assignment > Create symbolic links