# CVE-2025-65199: Windscribe for Linux 'changeMTU' local privilege escalation

> Local users in the windscribe group can execute arbitrary commands as root via command injection in the changeMTU function.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/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:** 10 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 18 Dec 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-842w-c8vj-r24w

## What is CVE-2025-65199?

CVE-2025-65199 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Windscribe for Linux Desktop App, published on 10 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A command injection vulnerability exists in Windscribe for Linux Desktop App that allows a local user who is a member of the windscribe group to execute arbitrary commands as root via the 'adapterName' parameter of the 'changeMTU' function. Fixed in Windscribe v2.18.3-alpha and v2.18.8.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-65199?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Windscribe Windscribe.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-65199?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-65199 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-65199 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-65199 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Windscribe for Linux Desktop App

- [CVE-2024-6141](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6141/): Windscribe Directory Traversal Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-41141](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41141/): Privilege escalation in Windscribe (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2020-22809](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-22809/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2020-27518](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27518/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2018-11479](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11479/): Command injection in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-65199 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-65199 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Windscribe for Linux Desktop App, published on 10 Dec 2025. 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-2025-65199 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Windscribe for Linux Desktop App. 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-2025-65199/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-65199/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-65199
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-65199
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-65199

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-65199/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.