How severe is CVE-2018-18656?

CVE-2018-18656 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, 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 high.

Is CVE-2018-18656 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (28th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-18656?

CVE-2018-18656 affects Purevpn. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-18656?

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-2018-18656 published?

CVE-2018-18656 was published on 2018-10-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-18656

CVE-2018-18656 is a high-severity vulnerability in Purevpn with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-522.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 2.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (28th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-522
Affected product: Purevpn
Published: 2018-10-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The PureVPN client before 6.1.0 for Windows stores Login Credentials (username and password) in cleartext. The location of such files is %PROGRAMDATA%\purevpn\config\login.conf. Additionally, all local users can read this file.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-18656?: The PureVPN client before 6.1.0 for Windows stores Login Credentials (username and password) in cleartext. The location of such files is %PROGRAMDATA%\purevpn\config\login.conf. Additionally, all local users can read this file.
How severe is CVE-2018-18656?: CVE-2018-18656 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, 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 high.
Is CVE-2018-18656 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (28th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-18656?: CVE-2018-18656 affects Purevpn. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-18656?: 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-2018-18656 published?: CVE-2018-18656 was published on 2018-10-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://www.trustwave.com/Resources/SpiderLabs-Blog/Credential-Leak-Flaws-in-Windows-PureVPN-Client/

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:purevpn:purevpn:*:*:*:*:*:windows:*:*

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