CVE-2019-25271: NETGATE Data Backup Privilege Escalation

CVE-2019-25271 Overview

CVE-2019-25271 is an unquoted service path vulnerability (CWE-428) affecting NETGATE Data Backup version 3.0.620. The NGDatBckpSrv Windows service is configured with an unquoted path containing spaces, which allows local attackers to exploit the Windows path resolution mechanism to execute arbitrary code with elevated LocalSystem privileges.

Critical Impact

Local privilege escalation to LocalSystem allows complete system compromise, enabling attackers to install malware, access sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoor access on affected Windows systems.

Affected Products

• NETGATE Data Backup 3.0.620
• Windows systems running the NGDatBckpSrv service

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-05 - CVE-2019-25271 published to NVD
• 2026-02-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2019-25271

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from improper service path configuration in the NETGATE Data Backup software. When a Windows service executable path contains spaces and is not enclosed in quotation marks, the Windows Service Control Manager (SCM) parses the path in a predictable manner that can be exploited for privilege escalation.

The NGDatBckpSrv service runs with LocalSystem privileges, which is the highest privilege level on a Windows system. An attacker with local access and write permissions to specific directories along the service path can place a malicious executable that will be executed instead of the legitimate service binary when the service starts or restarts.

Root Cause

The root cause is the failure to properly quote the service binary path during installation. When the service path contains spaces (such as C:\Program Files\NETGATE\...), Windows attempts to resolve the path by checking for executables at each space-delimited segment. For example, Windows may first check for C:\Program.exe before proceeding to check the full intended path.

Attack Vector

The attack requires local access to the target system with write permissions to a directory that falls within the unquoted path resolution sequence. The attacker must:

1. Identify the unquoted service path in the Windows registry
2. Determine writable directory locations along the path parsing sequence
3. Place a malicious executable (e.g., Program.exe in C:\) that will be executed when the service starts
4. Wait for or trigger a service restart to execute the payload with LocalSystem privileges

The malicious payload executes with the same privileges as the NGDatBckpSrv service—LocalSystem—granting full control over the affected system.

Detection Methods for CVE-2019-25271

Indicators of Compromise

• Presence of unexpected executables in root directories or Program Files parent directories (e.g., C:\Program.exe, C:\Program Files.exe)
• Unusual service start failures or unexpected process spawning during service initialization
• Registry modifications to the NGDatBckpSrv service path configuration
• Audit logs showing file creation in system root directories by non-administrative users

Detection Strategies

• Query Windows services for unquoted paths using PowerShell: Get-WmiObject Win32_Service | Where-Object { $_.PathName -notlike '"*' -and $_.PathName -like '* *' }
• Monitor for file system activity in directories commonly exploited by unquoted service path attacks
• Implement endpoint detection rules for executables created in C:\ or C:\Program Files\ parent directories
• Use SentinelOne's behavioral AI to detect anomalous process creation chains from service contexts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Windows Security Event logging for service configuration changes (Event ID 7040)
• Monitor process creation events for unexpected executables running as SYSTEM from unusual paths
• Deploy file integrity monitoring on critical directory locations
• Regularly audit service configurations for unquoted paths as part of security hygiene

How to Mitigate CVE-2019-25271

Immediate Actions Required

• Audit the NGDatBckpSrv service registry entry and manually add quotation marks around the executable path
• Restrict write permissions on directories along the service path (especially C:\ and C:\Program Files\)
• Consider disabling or uninstalling NETGATE Data Backup if not critical to operations until properly remediated
• Monitor for any signs of exploitation on systems where the vulnerable software is installed

Patch Information

No official vendor patch information is available at this time. Organizations should contact NETGATE directly for remediation guidance or consider alternative backup solutions. Additional technical details are available in the VulnCheck Advisory and the Exploit-DB entry #47746.

Workarounds

• Manually correct the service path by modifying the registry key HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NGDatBckpSrv\ImagePath to enclose the path in quotation marks
• Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized binaries
• Apply the principle of least privilege by restricting user write access to system directories
• Use SentinelOne's exploit protection and privilege escalation detection to block exploitation attempts

# Registry fix example (run as Administrator)
# Query current service path:
reg query "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NGDatBckpSrv" /v ImagePath

# Update with quoted path (adjust path as needed):
reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NGDatBckpSrv" /v ImagePath /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d "\"C:\Program Files\NETGATE\Data Backup 3\NGDatBckpSrv.exe\"" /f