CVE-2018-10192

IPVanish 3.0.11 for macOS suffers from a root privilege escalation vulnerability

published April 17, 2018

CVSS
—
EPSS
2%
Percentile
83.3
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

🚨 An insecure XPC service in IPVanish for macOS could let attackers execute code with root privileges - that’s like giving a stranger the keys to your whole house! 🔑 Think of the `com.ipvanish.osx.vpnhelper` LaunchDaemon as a front desk in a hotel that accepts room service orders without checking the ID of the guest. If someone sends in a fake order for a luxurious suite and it goes unchecked, they get access to all the amenities – in this case, the attacker gains root access to your system! The impact is absolutely devastating! An attacker could run malicious code as the root user, potentially leading to full control over the system, data theft, or even damage to critical files. This vulnerability gives unwelcome guests free rein, and who knows what trouble they'll cause?

Put simply

Think of the `com.ipvanish.osx.vpnhelper` LaunchDaemon as a front desk in a hotel that accepts room service orders without checking the ID of the guest. If someone sends in a fake order for a luxurious suite and it goes unchecked, they get access to all the amenities – in this case, the attacker gains root access to your system! CVE-2018-10192 results from IPVanish's `com.ipvanish.osx.vpnhelper` LaunchDaemon not validating incoming XPC connections. Attackers can exploit this flaw by sending manipulated XPC messages to execute arbitrary code as the root user when the VPN connection is established.

What to do

The impact is absolutely devastating! An attacker could run malicious code as the root user, potentially leading to full control over the system, data theft, or even damage to critical files. This vulnerability gives unwelcome guests free rein, and who knows what trouble they'll cause? To protect yourself, update IPVanish to the latest version where this vulnerability is patched. Additionally, consider reviewing your application permissions and monitoring for unusual activities that could indicate exploitation attempts. Regularly check for updates to third-party libraries as well! You've got this! By staying informed and proactive, you can safeguard your system like the security hero you are! 🦸

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.02331 · 83.3th percentile
Published
2018-04-17T21:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 17 APR 21:00Z
    IPVanish 3.0.11 for macOS suffers from a root privilege escalation vulnerability
    cvelistv5