CVE-2020-27518
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2020-27518 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Windscribe VPN's WindscribeService component. Attackers with low-privilege access can exploit OpenVPN configuration options to execute arbitrary code with root/SYSTEM privileges. This affects all Windscribe VPN users on Mac and Windows with versions up to v2.02.10.
💻 Affected Systems
- Windscribe VPN
📦 What is this software?
Windscribe by Windscribe
Windscribe by Windscribe
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise where an attacker gains full administrative control, installs persistent malware, accesses all user data, and pivots to other systems.
Likely Case
Local attacker escalates privileges to install keyloggers, steal credentials, or maintain persistence on the compromised system.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper user privilege separation exists and vulnerable software is isolated from critical systems.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access with low privileges. The vulnerability leverages OpenVPN configuration options to execute arbitrary commands.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: v2.02.11 and later
Vendor Advisory: http://windscribe.com
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Windscribe VPN application. 2. Check for updates in settings. 3. Install version 2.02.11 or later. 4. Restart the application and system if prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Remove vulnerable versions
windowsUninstall Windscribe VPN versions <= 2.02.10 until patched version can be installed.
Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall Windscribe VPN
Restrict user privileges
allImplement least privilege principle to limit users who can access systems with Windscribe VPN installed.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Uninstall Windscribe VPN completely from affected systems
- Implement strict access controls and monitor for privilege escalation attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Windscribe VPN version in application settings or About section. Versions <= 2.02.10 are vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows: Check Windscribe application settings. On macOS: Windscribe > About WindscribeVerify Fix Applied:
Verify installed version is 2.02.11 or later. Check that WindscribeService is running with proper security context.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual process creation from WindscribeService
- OpenVPN configuration modifications by non-admin users
- Privilege escalation attempts in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Windscribe processes
- VPN configuration changes
SIEM Query:
Process creation where parent_process_name contains 'WindscribeService' AND process_name not in ('openvpn.exe', 'windscribe.exe')