# CVE-2019-25261: AnyDesk 5.4.0 - Unquoted Service Path

> Local attackers can exploit an unquoted service path in AnyDesk to execute malicious code and gain elevated system privileges.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **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:** 3 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 5 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5ch6-f4pq-q5vf

## What is CVE-2019-25261?

CVE-2019-25261 is a high-severity vulnerability in AnyDesk, published on 3 Feb 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

AnyDesk 5.4.0 contains an unquoted service path vulnerability in its Windows service configuration that allows local attackers to potentially inject malicious executables. Attackers can exploit the unquoted binary path to place malicious files in service executable locations, potentially gaining elevated system privileges.

Weakness: CWE-428 (Unquoted Search Path or Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-25261?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Anydesk Anydesk.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-25261?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-25261 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-25261 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2019-25261 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in AnyDesk

- [CVE-2025-27918](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-27918/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-13160](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13160/): Other in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-14397](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14397/): AnyDesk before 3.6.1 on Windows has a DLL injection vulnerability. (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-44426](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44426/): File upload in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2016-20094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-20094/): AnyDesk 2.5.0 Unquoted Service Path Elevation of Privilege (high 8.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-25261 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-25261 is a high-severity vulnerability in AnyDesk, published on 3 Feb 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2019-25261 exists.

Affected product: AnyDesk. 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-2019-25261/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-25261/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-25261
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-25261
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-25261

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-25261/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.