CVE-2018-15490
CVE-2018-15490 is a high-severity vulnerability in Expressvpn with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.1. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-22.
Key facts
- Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.1)
- CVSS v2: 6.6
- EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (45th percentile)
- Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
- Weakness: CWE-22
- Affected product: Expressvpn
- Published:
- Last modified:
Description
An issue was discovered in ExpressVPN on Windows. The Xvpnd.exe process (which runs as a service with SYSTEM privileges) listens on TCP port 2015, which is used as an RPC interface for communication with the client side of the ExpressVPN application. A JSON-RPC protocol over HTTP is used for communication. The JSON-RPC XVPN.GetPreference and XVPN.SetPreference methods are vulnerable to path traversal, and allow reading and writing files on the file system on behalf of the service.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2018-15490?
- An issue was discovered in ExpressVPN on Windows. The Xvpnd.exe process (which runs as a service with SYSTEM privileges) listens on TCP port 2015, which is used as an RPC interface for communication with the client side of the ExpressVPN application. A JSON-RPC protocol over HTTP is used for communication. The JSON-RPC XVPN.GetPreference and XVPN.SetPreference methods are vulnerable to path traversal, and allow reading and writing files on the file system on behalf of the service.
- How severe is CVE-2018-15490?
- CVE-2018-15490 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
- Is CVE-2018-15490 being actively exploited?
- It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (45th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- What products are affected by CVE-2018-15490?
- CVE-2018-15490 affects Expressvpn. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
- How do I fix CVE-2018-15490?
- Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
- When was CVE-2018-15490 published?
- CVE-2018-15490 was published on 2019-01-02 and last updated on 2026-06-17.
References
Affected products (1)
- cpe:2.3:a:expressvpn:expressvpn:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
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