Private Internet Access 3.3 - 'pia-service' Unquoted Service Path

vendor:

Private Internet Access

by:

Saud Alenazi

7.2

CVSS

HIGH

Unquoted Service Path

426

CWE

Product Name: Private Internet Access

Affected Version From: 3.3.0.100

Affected Version To: 3.3.0.100

Patch Exists: NO

Related CWE:

CPE: a:privateinternetaccess:private_internet_access

Metasploit:

Other Scripts:

Platforms Tested: Windows 10 x64

2022

Private Internet Access 3.3 – ‘pia-service’ Unquoted Service Path

A successful attempt would require the local user to be able to insert their code in the system root path undetected by the OS or other security applications where it could potentially be executed during application startup or reboot. If successful, the local user's code would execute with the elevated privileges of the application.

Mitigation:

Ensure that all services have a fully qualified path to the executable, and that the path is enclosed in quotes.

Source

Exploit-DB raw data:

# Exploit Title: Private Internet Access 3.3 - 'pia-service' Unquoted Service Path
# Date: 04/03/2022
# Exploit Author: Saud Alenazi
# Vendor Homepage: https://www.privateinternetaccess.com
# Software Link: https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/download
# Version: 3.3.0.100
# Tested: Windows 10 x64
# Contact: https://twitter.com/dmaral3noz

# Step to discover Unquoted Service Path:

C:\Users\saudh>wmic service where 'name like "%PrivateInternetAccessService%"' get name, displayname, pathname, startmode, startname

DisplayName                      Name                          PathName                                                    StartMode  StartName
Private Internet Access Service  PrivateInternetAccessService  "C:\Program Files\Private Internet Access\pia-service.exe"  Auto       LocalSystem

# Service info:

C:\Users\saudh>sc qc PrivateInternetAccessService
[SC] QueryServiceConfig SUCCESS

SERVICE_NAME: PrivateInternetAccessService
        TYPE               : 10  WIN32_OWN_PROCESS
        START_TYPE         : 2   AUTO_START
        ERROR_CONTROL      : 1   NORMAL
        BINARY_PATH_NAME   : "C:\Program Files\Private Internet Access\pia-service.exe"
        LOAD_ORDER_GROUP   :
        TAG                : 0
        DISPLAY_NAME       : Private Internet Access Service
        DEPENDENCIES       :
        SERVICE_START_NAME : LocalSystem


#Exploit:

A successful attempt would require the local user to be able to insert their code in the system root path undetected by the OS or other security applications where it could potentially be executed during application startup or reboot. If successful, the local user's code would execute with the elevated privileges of the application.