CVE-2019-12572: A vulnerability in the London Trust Media Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN Client 1.0.2 (build 02363) for Windows could allow an authenticated, local...

Description

A vulnerability in the London Trust Media Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN Client 1.0.2 (build 02363) for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to run arbitrary code with elevated privileges. On startup, the PIA Windows service (pia-service.exe) loads the OpenSSL library from %PROGRAMFILES%\Private Internet Access\libeay32.dll. This library attempts to load the C:\etc\ssl\openssl.cnf configuration file which does not exist. By default on Windows systems, authenticated users can create directories under C:\. A low privileged user can create a C:\etc\ssl\openssl.cnf configuration file to load a malicious OpenSSL engine library resulting in arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM when the service starts.

Metrics

EPSS Probability

0.93%

56.1th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-427

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Londontrustmedia	Private Internet Access	1.0.2

References

https://blog.mirch.io/2019/06/10/cve-2019-12572-pia-windows-privilege-escalation-malicious-openssl-engine/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/mirchr/security-research/blob/master/vulnerabilities/PIA/CVE-2019-12572.txtExploit, Third Party Advisory
https://blog.mirch.io/2019/06/10/cve-2019-12572-pia-windows-privilege-escalation-malicious-openssl-engine/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/mirchr/security-research/blob/master/vulnerabilities/PIA/CVE-2019-12572.txtExploit, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jun 21, 2019
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-12572?

A vulnerability in the London Trust Media Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN Client 1.0.2 (build 02363) for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to run arbitrary code with elevated privileges. On startup, the PIA Windows service (pia-service.exe) loads the OpenSSL library from %PROGRAMFILES%\Private Internet Access\libeay32.dll. This library attempts to load the C:\etc\ssl\openssl.cnf configuration file which does not exist. By default on Windows systems, authenticated users can create directories under C:\. A low privileged user can create a C:\etc\ssl\openssl.cnf configuration file to load a malicious OpenSSL engine library resulting in arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM when the service starts.

How severe is CVE-2019-12572?

Severity scoring for CVE-2019-12572 is pending analysis. The EPSS model estimates a 0.93% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2019-12572?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

How Strix Helps

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