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OpenVPN Private Tunnel Core Service Unquoted Service Path Elevation Of Privilege

Medium
Advisory ID
ZSL-2014-5192
Release Date
11 July 2014
Vendor
OpenVPN Technologies, Inc - http://www.openvpn.net
Affected Version
2.1.28.0 (PrivateTunnel 2.3.8)
Tested On
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (EN), Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3 (EN)
Summary

Private Tunnel is a new approach to true Internet security creating a Virtual Private Tunnel (VPT) or Virtual Private Network (VPN) that encrypts, privatizes, and protects your Internet traffic.

Description

Private Tunnel application suffers from an unquoted search path issue impacting the Core Service 'ptservice' service for Windows deployed as part of PrivateTunnel bundle. This could potentially allow an authorized but non-privileged local user to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges on the system. A successful attempt would require the local user to be able to insert their code in the system root path undetected by the OS or other security applications where it could potentially be executed during application startup or reboot. If successful, the local user’s code would execute with the elevated privileges of the application.

Proof of Concept
Disclosure Timeline
07.07.2014Vulnerability discovered.
08.07.2014Contact with the vendor.
10.07.2014No reply from the vendor.
11.07.2014Public security advisory released.
Credits
Vulnerability discovered by Gjoko Krstic
References
Changelog
11.07.2014Initial release
12.07.2014Added reference [4] and [5]
15.07.2014Added reference [6] and [7]
17.07.2014Added reference [8]
30.07.2014Added reference [9]
05.10.2014Added reference [10]