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Interview question · Systems, OS & Memory Safety

How do PATH and library search-order hijacking work on Linux and Windows, and how do you prevent them?

Programs rarely name the file they run or load; they search for it. Whoever can write earlier in the search order chooses the code. The answer covers both platforms and the one rule that fixes both.

mediumNewPreparation tags: Microsoft, Google, CrowdStrikeUpdated Nov 2026

Programs rarely name the file they run or load; they search for it. Whoever can write earlier in the search order chooses the code. The answer covers both platforms and the one rule that fixes both.

Make your first attempt

What would you say before reading the answer?

  1. 01 State the assumptions your answer depends on.
  2. 02 Explain the mechanism and choose a control.
  3. 03 Name a condition that would change your decision.

The worked answer includes an approach, scoring criteria and follow-up questions. Compare the reasoning with your own.

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What if · the follow-ups in this answer

The answer works through 6 follow-ups like an interviewer would

A privileged program runs helper tools without full paths and loads plugins from its working directory.

  1. How does search-order hijacking work?
  2. Which search lists can attackers influence?
  3. Why is the working directory risky?
  4. How do you fix it?
  5. How do you detect attempts?
  6. How would you harden the program?

Each rung has a nudge, a model answer, the principle that carries over and the weak answer to avoid. Premium opens every answer and ladder.

UP NEXT ON YOUR JOURNEY
Next in this trackExplain the Windows security model: SIDs, access tokens, privileges, integrity levels and UAC. How does an access check work?Next in this trackWhat are the common classes of Windows local privilege escalation, and how do you harden an estate against them?Next in this trackHow does Kerberos work in Active Directory, and how do Kerberoasting, Golden Tickets and delegation abuse exploit it?
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