Description
PSEvents.exe in multiple Panda Security products runs hourly with SYSTEM privileges and loads DLL files from a user-writable directory without proper validation. An attacker with low-privileged access who can write DLL files to the monitored directory can achieve arbitrary code execution with SYSTEM privileges. Affected products include Panda Global Protection 2016, Panda Antivirus Pro 2016, Panda Small Business Protection, and Panda Internet Security 2016 (all versions up to 16.1.2).
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panda Security | Panda Global Protection 2016 | ≤ 16.1.2 | — |
| Panda Security | Panda Antivirus Pro 2016 | ≤ 16.1.2 | — |
| Panda Security | Panda Small Business Protection | ≤ 16.1.2 | — |
| Panda Security | Panda Internet Security 2016 | ≤ 16.1.2 | — |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Metasploit 1 module
-
Panda Security PSEvents Privilege Escalation
exploit/windows/local/panda_psevents
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
References
- https://web.archive.org/web/20160704105329/http://www.pandasecurity.com/uk/support/card?id=100053 vendor-advisory patch
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/windows/local/panda_psevents.rb exploit
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40020 exploit
- https://web.archive.org/web/20170415211828/http://www.security-assessment.com/files/documents/advisory/Panda%20Security%20-%20Privilege%20Escalation.pdf third-party-advisory technical-description
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/panda-security-psevents-insecure-dll-loading-privilege-escalation third-party-advisory