CVE-2023-47198 is a high severity local privilege escalation in the Trend Micro Apex One security agent, scored 7.8. An origin validation error in the NT Listener service lets someone who already runs code on the machine reach SYSTEM. Apply Apex One SP1 Critical Patch 12526, or the 202309 patch for the as a service edition.
What's affected
Trend Micro's security bulletin for Apex One, dated 6 November 2023, lists Apex One 2019 (on premises) and Apex One as a Service, both on Windows. The minimum fixed levels are Apex One Service Pack 1 Critical Patch 12526 for on premises installs, and the September 2023 monthly patch (202309) with agent version 14.0.12737 for the as a service edition. Trend Micro advises moving to the latest version if a newer one exists.
This entry is CVE-2023-47198, an origin validation error in the Apex One NT Listener service, tracked by the Zero Day Initiative as ZDI-23-1619. The issue results from insufficient validation of the origin of commands. A local attacker who can already run low-privileged code can use it to escalate privileges and execute code as SYSTEM. NVD notes it is similar to, but not identical to, CVE-2023-47199.
Dates differ across sources, and it is worth knowing why. The Zero Day Initiative advisory ZDI-23-1619 was released on 14 November 2023, the bulletin is dated 6 November 2023, and the NVD record shows 23 January 2024. These are different events for the same issue, so do not read the NVD date as the date a fix appeared. Severity matches across sources, 7.8 High, with a local vector.
The NVD record was published on 2024-01-23, scores 7.8 (High), and carries the vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Weakness class: CWE-346.
How to check if you're exposed
Apex One agents and the management server are managed from the console, so the check is a version comparison, not a command.
- Open the Apex One management console and review the version of the management server and the agents.
- For on premises installs, confirm that Service Pack 1 Critical Patch 12526 or later is applied, using the readme linked from Trend Micro's bulletin.
- For Apex One as a Service, confirm the agent version is 14.0.12737 or later and the September 2023 monthly patch is in place.
- Sort agents by version and find the machines that are behind, especially shared workstations and servers.
Add a regular agent version report to your weekly security review until nothing remains below the target level.
What to do now
- Read Trend Micro's bulletin and note the minimum patch for your edition.
- Apply the patch to the management server first, then deploy updated agents.
- Find agents that did not update, such as machines that are offline or excluded from policy, and bring them current.
- Test the new self protection behavior. Trend Micro warns that apps not signed by Trend Micro or Microsoft that inject into other processes may be blocked, so add exceptions for trusted tools through the documented process.
- Review who can run code as a standard user on important machines, since every attack in this family starts there.
Why it matters
Origin validation errors happen when a privileged service accepts a command without confirming that it came from a trusted caller. The service listens for instructions on the machine, and any local process may be able to talk to it. Here the weakness is classed as CWE-346. The fix belongs to the vendor, who has to make the service check where commands come from.
Local privilege escalation bugs reward patience. An attacker who gets a standard user session today can wait for a vulnerable agent. For this reason, the fix is not complete until the stragglers, such as laptops that rarely connect, have updated. The record's KEV flag is false, so this CVE is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list.
Quick check
Which machines tend to lag?
Laptops that are often offline, lab machines, and systems excluded from automatic updates. Search for them by agent version in the console.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
