What is CVE-2019-5526?

CVE-2019-5526 is a high-severity vulnerability in VMware Workstation, classified under Uncontrolled Search Path Element. CVSS score: 7.8/10. Published 2019-05-15.

How severe is CVE-2019-5526?

High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.8 out of 10.

Vulnerability in VMware Workstation

CVE-2019-5526

VMware Workstation (15.x before 15.1.0) contains a DLL hijacking issue because some DLL files are improperly loaded by the application. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow attackers with normal user privileges to escalate their privileges to administrator on a windows host where Workstation is installed.

Published 2019-05-15 · last modified 2026-06-17.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 7.8 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.090 (95.1th percentile), scored 2026-10-01.

Low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, but still tracked. 95th percentile — 95.1% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.090 · newest: 0.090 · change: 0.000

Affected products

VMware Workstation
VMware Workstation — versions VMware Workstation (15.x before 15.1.0)

Weakness classification (CWE)

CWE-427 — Uncontrolled Search Path Element

References

www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2019-0007.html (Vendor Advisory)
www.securityfocus.com/bid/108333 (VDB Entry, Third Party Advisory, vdb-entry)
packetstormsecurity.com/files/152946/VMware-Workstation-DLL-Hijacking.html (Third Party Advisory)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-5526?: CVE-2019-5526 is a high-severity vulnerability in VMware Workstation, classified under Uncontrolled Search Path Element. CVSS score: 7.8/10. Published 2019-05-15.
How severe is CVE-2019-5526?: High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.8 out of 10.