# CVE-2018-4048: Privilege escalation in GOG Galaxy

> Local attackers can overwrite updater executables in the Temp directory to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges on GOG Galaxy.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 May 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cxcg-fx4q-4w62

## What is CVE-2018-4048?

CVE-2018-4048 is a critical vulnerability in Talos GOG Galaxy, published on 30 May 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An exploitable local privilege elevation vulnerability exists in the file system permissions of the `Temp` directory in GOG Galaxy 1.2.48.36 (Windows 64-bit Installer). An attacker can overwrite executables of the Desktop Galaxy Updater to exploit this vulnerability and execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges.

Weakness: CWE-668 (Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-4048?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Gog Galaxy.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-4048?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-4048 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-4048 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-4048 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Talos GOG Galaxy

- [CVE-2018-3974](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-3974/): Privilege escalation in GOG Galaxy (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2018-4049](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4049/): Privilege escalation in GOG Galaxy (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2020-7352](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7352/): GOG Galaxy GalaxyClientService Privilege Escalation (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2022-31262](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31262/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-26807](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-26807/): Other in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-4048 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-4048 is a critical vulnerability in Talos GOG Galaxy, published on 30 May 2019. 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-2018-4048 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Talos GOG Galaxy. 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-2018-4048/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4048/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-4048
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-4048
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-4048

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-4048/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.