Panda Global Protection 2016: Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CVE-2025-34109 is a high-severity uncontrolled search path element vulnerability in Panda Global Protection 2016 from Panda Security, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.5 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected Panda Global Protection 2016 versions: 16.1.2 and earlier. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.4% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Panda Global Protection 2016 you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panda Security | Panda Global Protection 2016 | 16.1.2 and earlier | Not stated |
| Panda Security | Panda Antivirus Pro 2016 | 16.1.2 and earlier | Not stated |
| Panda Security | Panda Small Business Protection | 16.1.2 and earlier | Not stated |
| Panda Security | Panda Internet Security 2016 | 16.1.2 and earlier | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Attack requirements
- NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: 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/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (vulncheck.com).
Official description
PSEvents.exe in multiple Panda Security products runs hourly with SYSTEM privileges and loads DLL files from a user-writable directory without proper validation. An attacker with low-privileged access who can write DLL files to the monitored directory can achieve arbitrary code execution with SYSTEM privileges. Affected products include Panda Global Protection 2016, Panda Antivirus Pro 2016, Panda Small Business Protection, and Panda Internet Security 2016 (all versions up to 16.1.2).
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Uncontrolled Search Path Element
The product uses a fixed or controlled search path to find resources, but one or more locations in that path can be under the control of unintended actors.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Hard-code the search path to a set of known-safe values (such as system directories), or only allow them to be specified by the administrator in a configuration file. Do not allow these settings to be modified by an external party. Be careful to avoid related weaknesses such as CWE-426 and CWE-428.
- When invoking other programs, specify those programs using fully-qualified pathnames. While this is an effective approach, code that uses fully-qualified pathnames might not be portable to other systems that do not use the same pathnames. The portability can be improved by locating the full-qualified paths in a centralized, easily-modifiable location within the source code, and having the code refer to these paths.
- Remove or restrict all environment settings before invoking other programs. This includes the PATH environment variable, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, and other settings that identify the location of code libraries, and any application-specific search paths.
More Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerabilities (CWE-427)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
- raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/windows/local/panda_psevents.rb
- web.archive.org/web/20160704105329/http://www.pandasecurity.com/uk/support/card?id=100053
- web.archive.org/web/20170415211828/http://www.security-assessment.com/files/documents/advisory/Panda%20Securi…
- exploit-db.com/exploits/40020
- vulncheck.com/advisories/panda-security-psevents-insecure-dll-loading-privilege-escalation
Recent Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.9 Critical severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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