# CVE-2026-104474: OpenLiteSpeed privilege escalation in update script

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-104474-openlitespeed-before-1-9-3-contains-a-local-privilege-escalation  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-03. Updated: 2026-10-05  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-104474 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.7 · Published 2026-10-03

OpenLiteSpeed is a lightweight web server used to host websites and applications. The update script (lsup.sh) before version 1.9.3 runs package installation code as root from a directory that the web server process can write to, allowing an attacker who controls the web server to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. This could lead to complete system compromise.

Vendors: [LiteSpeed Technologies](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/litespeed-technologies).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-104474 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-104474 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-104474?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.7, published 3 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** LiteSpeed Technologies OpenLiteSpeed before 1.9.3.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-104474?** Yes: fixed in 1.9.3. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-104474 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a web application.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-104474?** Check whether you run LiteSpeed Technologies OpenLiteSpeed 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 1.9.3

## Technical details

A local privilege escalation exists in admin/misc/lsup.sh before 1.9.3, where untrusted update packages are extracted and executed as root from a world-writable directory (/usr/local/lsws/autoupdate/). An attacker with control of the nobody web process can replace the package before extraction, causing the malicious install.sh to run with root privileges. The fix in 1.9.3 adds umask 022 and moves operations to a secure directory.

## Affected products

- LiteSpeed Technologies OpenLiteSpeed before 1.9.3

## Timeline

- 2026-10-03: disclosed
- 2026-09-28: patched

## References

- [https://github.com/litespeedtech/openlitespeed/blob/v1.9.2/dist/admin/misc/lsup.sh](https://github.com/litespeedtech/openlitespeed/blob/v1.9.2/dist/admin/misc/lsup.sh)
- [https://github.com/litespeedtech/openlitespeed/commit/468523ce84388cea9ba6633c26517bc05b3e2bc1](https://github.com/litespeedtech/openlitespeed/commit/468523ce84388cea9ba6633c26517bc05b3e2bc1)

## Related threats

- [OpenLiteSpeed HTTP/3 authentication bypass in mTLS verification](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-119559-openlitespeed-through-1-9-4-contains-an-authentication-bypass)