Code execution via exposed RPC authentication token
Published Jun 17, 2022 · Updated Apr 15, 2025
Privilege escalation in BitTorrent Limited µTorrent Web allows remote attackers to execute code through its local HTTP RPC server. The server exposes its authentication token under the web root, so DNS rebinding lets a malicious page read the token, change the download directory, and command a torrent download into a writable Windows Startup folder. Exploitation requires an active client and a user to visit attacker-controlled content; the downloaded executable runs at the next logon or reboot.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in BitTorrent Limited µTorrent Web allows remote attackers to execute code through its local HTTP RPC server. The server exposes its authentication token under the web root, so DNS rebinding lets a malicious page read the token, change the download directory, and command a torrent download into a writable Windows Startup folder. Exploitation requires an active client and a user to visit attacker-controlled content; the downloaded executable runs at the next logon or reboot.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2018-25040
- Published
- Jun 17, 2022
- Updated
- Apr 15, 2025
- Vendor
- BitTorrent Limited
- Product
- µTorrent Web
- Classifications
- CWE-269, T1547.001, T1204.001
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 17, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 15, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=n/a
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Google Project Zero µTorrent Web proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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