CVE-2020-27519

Local root execution via unsafe OpenVPN log directives

Published Apr 30, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Local privilege escalation in Pritunl Client 1.2.2550.20 allows local users to execute code as root or SYSTEM via a malicious OpenVPN profile. The pritunl-service profile writer accepts attacker-controlled log and log-append directives, letting privileged OpenVPN output create or append to script files arranged for execution. Local access and the ability to supply an imported profile are required; successful exploitation grants complete host-level code execution.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.35%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in Pritunl Client 1.2.2550.20 allows local users to execute code as root or SYSTEM via a malicious OpenVPN profile. The pritunl-service profile writer accepts attacker-controlled log and log-append directives, letting privileged OpenVPN output create or append to script files arranged for execution. Local access and the ability to supply an imported profile are required; successful exploitation grants complete host-level code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-27519
Published
Apr 30, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 30, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8GitLab Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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