How severe is GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5?

No CVSS score has been assigned to GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 yet. Review the advisory details and affected package list to assess your exposure.

Which packages are affected by GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5?

GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 affects the following packages: github.com/kolide/launcher (Go). Ecosystems affected: Go.

How do I fix GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5?

Update github.com/kolide/launcher to 1.12.3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 in my Go dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/kolide/launcher, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

Close the privilege gap rather than the entry point: audit which accounts, roles and service identities can reach the affected operation, drop the component to the least privilege it actually needs, and review file and directory permissions created by earlier installs — a default left in place is what makes this reachable.

Is GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

What is the EPSS score for GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5?

GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 0.2%, placing it in the 11th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score indicates relatively lower exploitation probability, though the CVSS severity should still guide your patching priority.

What type of vulnerability is GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5?

GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 is classified as Incorrect Default Permissions (CWE-276), CWE-456 (CWE-456). These weakness types describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 published, and has it been updated?

GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 was published on December 3, 2024 and was last updated on December 4, 2024. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

🐹 Go

Not in CISA KEV

Kolide Agent Privilege Escalation (Windows, Versions >= 1.5.3, < 1.12.3)GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5

Fix: kolide/launcher#1510

GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 is a Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerability in github.com/kolide/launcher. A fix is available for github.com/kolide/launcher — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Also known asCVE-2024-54131GO-2024-3308

Published

Dec 3, 2024

Updated

Dec 4, 2024

Affected

1 pkg

Patched

1 / 1

Exploits

None indexed

Exploitation data as of Nov 11, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

Exploitation Status

No confirmed exploitation observed yet

A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.

Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5.

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

0.2%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs11th percentile — riskier than 11% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

Real-World Exposure

1 pkg affected

🐹github.com/kolide/launcher

Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Go packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.

Description

An implementation bug in the Kolide Agent (known as launcher) allows for local privilege escalation to the SYSTEM user on Windows 10 and 11. Impacted versions include versions >= 1.5.3 and the fix has been released in 1.12.3.

The bug was introduced in version 1.5.3 when launcher started storing upgraded binaries in the ProgramData directory (#1510). This move to the new directory meant the launcher root directory inherited default permissions that are not as strict as the previous location. These incorrect default permissions in conjunction with an omitted SystemDrive environmental variable (when launcher starts osqueryd), allows a malicious actor with access to the local Windows device to successfully place an arbitrary DLL into the osqueryd process's search path. Under some circumstances, this DLL will be executed when osqueryd performs a WMI query. This combination of events could then allow the attacker to escalate their privileges to SYSTEM.

This issue was found by Bryan Alexander of Atredis Partners and responsibly reported through the Kolide bug bounty program. Kolide made the appropriate changes and released a fix in version 1.12.3 of the launcher package.

Affected Packages

1 total 1 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
🐹Go	`github.com/kolide/launcher`	≥ 1.5.3&&< 1.12.3	1.12.3`go get github.com/kolide/launcher@v1.12.3`

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/kolide/launcher, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update github.com/kolide/launcher to 1.12.3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-66q9-2rvx-qfj5 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Close the privilege gap rather than the entry point: audit which accounts, roles and service identities can reach the affected operation, drop the component to the least privilege it actually needs, and review file and directory permissions created by earlier installs — a default left in place is what makes this reachable.

Frequently Asked Questions

An implementation bug in the Kolide Agent (known as `launcher`) allows for local privilege escalation to the SYSTEM user on Windows 10 and 11. Impacted versions include versions >= 1.5.3 and the fix has been released in 1.12.3. The bug was introduced in version 1.5.3 when launcher started storing upgraded binaries in the ProgramData directory (#1510). This move to the new directory meant the launcher root directory inherited default permissions that are not as strict as the previous location. These incorrect default permissions in conjunction with an omitted SystemDrive environmental variabl

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