# CVE-2026-104018: Wind River VxWorks 7 privilege escalation in command shell

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-104018-an-improper-privilege-management-vulnerability-cwe-269-exists-in  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-01. Updated: 2026-10-05  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-104018 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.8 · Published 2026-10-01

Wind River VxWorks 7 is a real-time operating system used in embedded and industrial devices. When configured with per-user command privileges, the shell may bypass privilege checks during certain operations, allowing a logged-in user with limited access to run unauthorized commands. This can lead to privilege escalation and compromise of the device's confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Technologies: [Wind River VxWorks 7](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/vxworks-7). Vendors: [Wind River](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/wind-river).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-104018 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-104018 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-104018?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.8, published 1 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Wind River VxWorks 7 all versions prior to 26.09.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-104018?** Yes: fixed in VxWorks 7 26.09. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-104018 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in an operating system.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-104018?** Check whether you run Wind River VxWorks 7 at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- Fixed in VxWorks 7 26.09

## Technical details

An improper privilege management flaw in the VxWorks 7 command shell (CWE-269) permits authenticated users with restricted privileges to execute commands that should be blocked by privilege checks. The vulnerability arises when the OS is configured to enforce per-user command privileges; under specific shell operations, the privilege validation is bypassed. No special network access or user interaction is required beyond initial authentication; the attacker gains elevated execution capabilities on the device.

## Affected products

- Wind River VxWorks 7 all versions prior to 26.09

## Timeline

- 2026-10-01: disclosed

## References

- [https://support2.windriver.com/index.php?page=cve&on=view&id=CVE-2026-104018](https://support2.windriver.com/index.php?page=cve&on=view&id=CVE-2026-104018)

## Related threats

- [Wind River VxWorks 7 kernel memory leak in process management](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-102006-in-wind-river-vxworks-7-prior-to-26-09-specific-system-call)
- [Wind River VxWorks 7 memory leak in service routine processing](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-102005-wind-river-vxworks-7-24-03-through-26-03-a-memory-leak-occurs)
- [Wind River VxWorks 7 memory corruption in system call handling](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-102004-wind-river-vxworks-7-prior-to-26-09-specific-system-call)
- [Wind River VxWorks 7 IPNET subsystem memory leak](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97686-wind-river-vxworks-7-prior-to-26-09-specific-system-call)