# CVE-2022-50917: ProtonVPN 1.26.0 - Unquoted Service Path

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges by exploiting an unquoted service path in the ProtonVPN WireGuard service.

- **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:** 13 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 7 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4wxf-j589-93pj

## What is CVE-2022-50917?

CVE-2022-50917 is a high-severity vulnerability in ProtonVPN, published on 13 Jan 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ProtonVPN 1.26.0 contains an unquoted service path vulnerability in its WireGuard service configuration that allows local attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code. Attackers can exploit the unquoted path by placing malicious executables in specific file system locations to gain elevated privileges during service startup.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-50917?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Proton Protonvpn.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-50917?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-50917 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-50917 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-50917 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in ProtonVPN

- [CVE-2024-37391](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37391/): Command injection in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-50917 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-50917 is a high-severity vulnerability in ProtonVPN, published on 13 Jan 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-2022-50917 exists.

Affected product: 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-2022-50917/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-50917/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-50917
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-50917
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-50917

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-50917/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.