CVE-2026-0776
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows local attackers with initial low-privileged access to escalate privileges by exploiting Discord's insecure file loading mechanism. The discord_rpc module loads files from unsecured locations, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code with higher privileges. This affects Discord Client installations where attackers have already gained some foothold on the system.
💻 Affected Systems
- Discord Client
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise where attacker gains administrative privileges, installs persistent malware, accesses sensitive data, and moves laterally across the network.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation allowing attacker to gain user-level privileges, access user data, and potentially install additional payloads.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to proper access controls, application sandboxing, and restricted user permissions preventing successful exploitation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to place malicious files in specific locations. The vulnerability is documented in ZDI-CAN-27057/ZDI-26-040.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Check Discord's latest stable release or security updates
Vendor Advisory: https://discord.com/security
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Discord Client
2. Click Settings (gear icon)
3. Navigate to 'Appearance'
4. Enable 'Developer Mode'
5. Return to Settings and check for updates
6. Restart Discord after update
7. Alternatively, download latest version from discord.com/download
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict file permissions
allSet strict permissions on Discord installation directory to prevent unauthorized file writes
Windows: icacls "C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Discord" /deny Everyone:(OI)(CI)(W)
Linux: chmod 755 ~/.config/discord
macOS: chmod 755 ~/Library/Application Support/discord
Disable Discord auto-start
allPrevent Discord from running automatically to reduce attack surface
Windows: Remove Discord from Startup folder or Task Manager Startup tab
Linux: systemctl --user disable discord.service
macOS: Remove Discord from Login Items in System Preferences
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict user privilege separation - ensure users run with minimal necessary permissions
- Deploy application control/whitelisting solutions to prevent unauthorized executables from running
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Discord version and compare against latest patched version. Look for discord_rpc module loading behavior.Check Version:
Windows: wmic datafile where name="C:\\Program Files\\Discord\\Discord.exe" get version
Linux: discord --version
macOS: mdls -name kMDItemVersion /Applications/Discord.appVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Discord is updated to latest version and monitor for any unusual file loading from unsecured locations.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual file access in Discord directories
- Process creation with unexpected parent-child relationships
- Failed privilege escalation attempts
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Discord process
- DNS requests to suspicious domains
SIEM Query:
Process creation where parent_process contains 'discord' and (process contains 'cmd' or process contains 'powershell' or process contains 'bash')