CVE-2018-7484
CVE-2018-7484 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-426.
Key facts
- Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
- CVSS v2: 9.3
- EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (81st percentile)
- Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
- Weakness: CWE-426
- Affected product: Purevpn
- Published:
- Last modified:
Description
An issue was discovered in PureVPN through 5.19.4.0 on Windows. The client installation grants the Everyone group Full Control permission to the installation directory. In addition, the PureVPNService.exe service, which runs under NT Authority\SYSTEM privileges, tries to load several dynamic-link libraries using relative paths instead of the absolute path. When not using a fully qualified path, the application will first try to load the library from the directory from which the application is started. As the residing directory of PureVPNService.exe is writable to all users, this makes the application susceptible to privilege escalation through DLL hijacking.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2018-7484?
- An issue was discovered in PureVPN through 5.19.4.0 on Windows. The client installation grants the Everyone group Full Control permission to the installation directory. In addition, the PureVPNService.exe service, which runs under NT Authority\SYSTEM privileges, tries to load several dynamic-link libraries using relative paths instead of the absolute path. When not using a fully qualified path, the application will first try to load the library from the directory from which the application is started. As the residing directory of PureVPNService.exe is writable to all users, this makes the application susceptible to privilege escalation through DLL hijacking.
- How severe is CVE-2018-7484?
- CVE-2018-7484 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
- Is CVE-2018-7484 being actively exploited?
- It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (81st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- What products are affected by CVE-2018-7484?
- CVE-2018-7484 affects Purevpn. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
- How do I fix CVE-2018-7484?
- 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-2018-7484 published?
- CVE-2018-7484 was published on 2018-02-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.
References
- http://www.defensecode.com/advisories/DC-2018-02-001-PureVPN-Windows-Privilege-Escalation.pdf
- https://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/541803
Affected products (1)
- cpe:2.3:a:purevpn:purevpn:5.19.4.0:*:*:*:*:windows:*:*
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