# CVE-2018-4010: Command injection in ProtonVPN

> A specially crafted configuration file in the ProtonVPN client allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands with system privileges.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Sep 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jg7p-w69v-cf32

## What is CVE-2018-4010?

CVE-2018-4010 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Talos ProtonVPN, published on 7 Sep 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An exploitable code execution vulnerability exists in the connect functionality of ProtonVPN VPN client 1.5.1. A specially crafted configuration file can cause a privilege escalation, resulting in the ability to execute arbitrary commands with the system's privileges.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-4010?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Protonvpn Protonvpn.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-4010?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-4010 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-4010 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-4010 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-4010 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-4010 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Talos ProtonVPN, published on 7 Sep 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-4010 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Talos ProtonVPN. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4010/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4010/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-4010
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-4010
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-4010

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4010/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.