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HIGHPOC

CVE-2018-18435

CWE-732Published: March 21, 2019· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8

CVSS v3.1

Official 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.

Technical Analysis

CVE-2018-18435 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2018-18435. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability

Attack VectorLocal

Attack ComplexityLow

Privileges Req.Low

User InteractionNone

ScopeUnchanged

Impact

ConfidentialityHigh

IntegrityHigh

AvailabilityHigh

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

kioware1 product(s)

kioware server

Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

POC AVAILABLEProof-of-concept code exists

Offensive Security exploit database

GitHub PoC Search

Community PoC repositories

Rapid7 / Metasploit

Metasploit module search

Security advisories & exploits

Official NIST entry

CVE Program entry

External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

PATCHhttps://m.kioware.com/news/kioware-press-releases/kioware_server_security_patch_update

PATCHhttps://www.kioware.com/patch.aspx

PATCHhttps://m.kioware.com/news/kioware-press-releases/kioware_server_security_patch_update

PATCHhttps://www.kioware.com/patch.aspx

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/151031/KioWare-Server-4.9.6-Privilege-Escalation.html

ADVISORYhttps://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46093/

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/151031/KioWare-Server-4.9.6-Privilege-Escalation.html

ADVISORYhttps://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46093/

All References (10)

→

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/151031/KioWare-Server-4.9.6-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

→

https://github.com/active-labs/Advisories/blob/master/2019/ACTIVE-2019-002.md

→

https://m.kioware.com/news/kioware-press-releases/kioware_server_security_patch_updatePatch · Vendor Advisory

→

https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46093/Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

→

https://www.kioware.com/patch.aspxPatch · Vendor Advisory

→

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/151031/KioWare-Server-4.9.6-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

→

https://github.com/active-labs/Advisories/blob/master/2019/ACTIVE-2019-002.md

→

https://m.kioware.com/news/kioware-press-releases/kioware_server_security_patch_updatePatch · Vendor Advisory

→

https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46093/Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

→

https://www.kioware.com/patch.aspxPatch · Vendor Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2018-18435

CVSS Score7.8 / 10

SeverityHIGH

WeaknessCWE-732

CISA KEVNo

ExploitPOC

Affected1 vendor(s)

PublishedMar 21, 2019

Related CVEs (CWE-732)

CVE-2014-125121

Recommended Actions

→Apply vendor patches immediately
→Monitor CVE-2018-18435 in threat intel feeds
→Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts

Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.

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