CVE-2020-28967
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2020-28967 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in FlashGet download manager that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. This affects users running FlashGet v1.9.6 on Windows systems. Attackers can exploit this by manipulating the current path directory function to overwrite registers and gain system-level access.
💻 Affected Systems
- FlashGet
📦 What is this software?
Flashget by Flashget
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with administrative privileges, allowing installation of persistent malware, data theft, and lateral movement across the network.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation leading to unauthorized system access, potentially enabling ransomware deployment or credential harvesting.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper privilege separation and application sandboxing, though local code execution may still be possible.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access to the system. The vulnerability is well-documented with technical details available in public references.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: v1.9.7 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.flashget.com/security-advisory
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download latest FlashGet version from official website. 2. Uninstall current version. 3. Install updated version. 4. Restart system to ensure complete patch application.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Remove FlashGet
windowsUninstall FlashGet completely to eliminate the vulnerability
Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program > Select FlashGet > Uninstall
Restrict User Privileges
windowsRun FlashGet with limited user account privileges to reduce impact
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized FlashGet execution
- Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for privilege escalation attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check FlashGet version in Help > About menu. If version is 1.9.6, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
wmic product where name='FlashGet' get versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify FlashGet version is 1.9.7 or later in Help > About menu.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual process creation from FlashGet.exe
- Privilege escalation attempts in Windows Event Logs (Event ID 4688)
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local privilege escalation vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source='Windows Security' AND event_id=4688 AND process_name='FlashGet.exe' AND integrity_level_change