SYSTEM code execution via unsecured OpenSSL configuration
Published Jan 26, 2023 · Updated Apr 1, 2025
Local privilege escalation in Windscribe Desktop Application 2.3 Build 16 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. Its OpenSSL integration loads a configuration file from an unsecured location, placing privileged OpenSSL behavior under attacker-controlled configuration. Exploitation requires prior low-privileged code execution on Windows and yields full SYSTEM-level code execution.
Summary
What happened
Local privilege escalation in Windscribe Desktop Application 2.3 Build 16 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. Its OpenSSL integration loads a configuration file from an unsecured location, placing privileged OpenSSL behavior under attacker-controlled configuration. Exploitation requires prior low-privileged code execution on Windows and yields full SYSTEM-level code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-41141
- Published
- Jan 26, 2023
- Updated
- Apr 1, 2025
- Vendor
- Windscribe
- Product
- Windscribe Desktop Application
- Classifications
- CWE-427, T1574
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 26, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 1, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=2.3 Build 16
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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