SYSTEM escalation via update DLL swap race
Published Aug 20, 2023 · Updated Oct 8, 2024
Local privilege escalation in Unity Parsec Loader 8 and earlier allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM on Windows. The updater verifies a DLL under the user's %APPDATA%\Parsec directory, then calls LoadLibrary on the same path, allowing a junction swap before DllMain runs. Exploitation requires Parsec access, a Per User installation, the default ProgramData layout, and winning the narrow race; Shared User installations are not affected.
Summary
What happened
Local privilege escalation in Unity Parsec Loader 8 and earlier allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM on Windows. The updater verifies a DLL under the user's %APPDATA%\Parsec directory, then calls LoadLibrary on the same path, allowing a junction swap before DllMain runs. Exploitation requires Parsec access, a Per User installation, the default ProgramData layout, and winning the narrow race; Shared User installations are not affected.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-37250
- Published
- Aug 20, 2023
- Updated
- Oct 8, 2024
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-367, T1574
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 20, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 8, 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?
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- parsec-LPE-POC.ps1functional · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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