CVE-2019-25269: Amiti Antivirus Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2019-25269 Overview

CVE-2019-25269 is an unquoted service path vulnerability affecting Amiti Antivirus version 25.0.640. This security flaw exists in the Windows service configurations where the service executable path contains spaces but is not properly enclosed in quotation marks. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to inject and execute malicious code with elevated LocalSystem privileges by placing executable files in specific directory locations along the unquoted path.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with LocalSystem privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise and persistence on affected Windows systems.

Affected Products

• Amiti Antivirus 25.0.640

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-05 - CVE CVE-2019-25269 published to NVD
• 2026-02-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2019-25269

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-428 (Unquoted Search Path or Element), a classic Windows privilege escalation technique. When a Windows service is configured with an executable path that contains spaces and is not wrapped in quotation marks, the Windows Service Control Manager (SCM) attempts to locate the executable by parsing the path at each space character.

For example, if a service path is configured as C:\Program Files\Amiti Antivirus\service.exe, Windows will attempt to execute files in the following order:

1. C:\Program.exe
2. C:\Program Files\Amiti.exe
3. C:\Program Files\Amiti Antivirus\service.exe

An attacker with local access can place a malicious executable at one of these intermediate paths. When the vulnerable service starts (typically at system boot or when restarted), the malicious code executes with the service's privileges—in this case, LocalSystem, which provides the highest level of Windows system access.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper configuration of the Windows service ImagePath registry value. The service executable path was registered without enclosing quotation marks despite containing spaces in the directory names. This is a common oversight during software installation routines where service paths are written directly to the registry without proper sanitization or quoting.

Attack Vector

The attack requires local access to the target system. An attacker must have sufficient permissions to write executable files to directories along the unquoted service path, such as the root of C:\ or within accessible subdirectories. Once a malicious executable is placed in the appropriate location, the attacker waits for the vulnerable service to restart or triggers a restart through various means. The malicious payload then executes with LocalSystem privileges, enabling full system compromise, persistence establishment, or further lateral movement within the network.

Detection Methods for CVE-2019-25269

Indicators of Compromise

• Presence of unexpected executable files in root directories or intermediate paths (e.g., C:\Program.exe, C:\Program Files\Amiti.exe)
• Unusual process execution events originating from non-standard paths with LocalSystem privileges
• Registry modifications to service ImagePath values

Detection Strategies

• Monitor the Windows registry for unquoted service paths using tools like PowerShell's Get-WmiObject or dedicated vulnerability scanners
• Deploy endpoint detection rules to alert on executable creation in root directories or Program Files subdirectories
• Audit service configurations during system hardening assessments

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Windows Security Event logging for process creation (Event ID 4688) with command line auditing
• Configure file integrity monitoring on directories commonly targeted by unquoted path exploits
• Implement behavioral analysis to detect service-related privilege escalation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2019-25269

Immediate Actions Required

• Audit all Windows services for unquoted paths using built-in or third-party tools
• Manually update the registry to add quotation marks around the vulnerable service path
• Restrict write permissions on directories along the service path to prevent malicious executable placement

Patch Information

No official vendor patch information is available. Users should manually remediate by enclosing the service executable path in quotation marks within the Windows registry. Additional details are available at the VulnCheck Advisory and Exploit-DB #47747.

Workarounds

• Modify the ImagePath registry value for the affected service to include quotation marks around the full path
• Remove write permissions for non-administrative users on root directories and intermediate paths
• Consider replacing the vulnerable software with an alternative security solution that follows secure service configuration practices

# Registry fix example - add quotes to service path
reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\AmitiAntivirusService" /v ImagePath /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d "\"C:\Program Files\Amiti Antivirus\service.exe\"" /f