CVE-2018-18859 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

The LiquidVPN client for macOS, up to version 1.37, is vulnerable to local privilege escalation due to multiple security flaws. Attackers can exploit unprotected XPC services to execute unauthorized OS commands with root privileges and load potentially harmful kernel extensions.

Understanding CVE-2018-18859

This CVE identifies vulnerabilities in the LiquidVPN client for macOS that allow attackers to escalate privileges locally.

What is CVE-2018-18859?

CVE-2018-18859 refers to multiple local privilege escalation vulnerabilities in the LiquidVPN client for macOS versions up to 1.37. These vulnerabilities enable attackers to execute unauthorized OS commands with root privileges and load potentially malicious kernel extensions.

The Impact of CVE-2018-18859

The vulnerabilities in CVE-2018-18859 can lead to local privilege escalation on macOS systems, allowing attackers to gain elevated privileges and execute arbitrary commands with root access.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-18859

The technical aspects of the CVE-2018-18859 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerabilities arise from the exposure of an unprotected XPC service in the LiquidVPN client for macOS. Attackers can exploit this to execute unauthorized OS commands with root privileges and load potentially harmful kernel extensions.

Affected Systems and Versions

LiquidVPN client for macOS versions up to 1.37

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerabilities are due to the improper utilization of the "tun_path" or "tap_path" pathname values in a kextload() function call by com.smr.liquidvpn.OVPNHelper.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-18859.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the LiquidVPN client to the latest version to patch the vulnerabilities.
Monitor system logs for any suspicious activities indicating privilege escalation attempts.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch all software to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement least privilege access controls to limit the impact of potential privilege escalation attacks.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by LiquidVPN promptly to mitigate the vulnerabilities.