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Introduction
In a world increasingly reliant on remote access and interconnected industrial systems, security vulnerabilities in core tools can have devastating effects. The IXON VPN Clientâtrusted by countless operators for secure access to industrial environmentsâhas been found to contain two severe local privilege escalation flaws. Identified as CVE-2025-26168 and CVE-2025-26169, these vulnerabilities allow attackers with local access to escalate their privileges to root on Linux or SYSTEM on Windows. The risk is particularly acute for industrial settings, where such escalations could compromise critical infrastructure. This article breaks down the technical nature of the flaws, vendor mitigation steps, and the broader cybersecurity implications for industrial operators.
The Story So Far
Two Major Flaws: Security researchers uncovered two serious local privilege escalation (LPE) vulnerabilities in the IXON VPN ClientâCVE-2025-26168 (Linux) and CVE-2025-26169 (Windows).
Whatâs at Risk: These bugs allow attackers with local access to hijack root or SYSTEM-level privileges, effectively taking full control of the system.
About IXON: The IXON VPN Client is a remote access tool developed by a Dutch company. It’s widely used in industrial automation to securely connect remote users to on-site devices via a cloud-managed VPN.
How It Works: The client stores OpenVPN configuration files temporarily during setup. On Linux, this file lands in a predictable, world-writable directory. On Windows, attackers exploit weak permission handling in the systemâs Temp directory.
Linux Exploit (CVE-2025-26168): Attackers create a named pipe (FIFO) with the same name as the config file. When the client writes to this pipe, it allows the attacker to insert malicious commands that execute with root privileges.
Windows Exploit (CVE-2025-26169): Even though users canât view the C:\Windows\Temp directoryâs contents, they can still create files there. A PowerShell script running in a loop can repeatedly replace the config file with a malicious version, gaining SYSTEM access without a successful VPN connection.
Why Itâs Dangerous: These flaws provide an easy gateway for attackers with limited system access to elevate their controlâcritical in environments where uptime and integrity are non-negotiable.
Vendorâs Response: IXON moved fast, releasing version 1.4.4 of the client. This update moves temp files to directories only accessible by privileged users and tightens library path security.
How to Fix It:
Download the new version from [IXONâs portal](https://portal.ixon.cloud/fleet-manager/tools).
For Linux: extract and install using command-line tools.
Confirm installation by verifying client version is 1.4.4 or higher.
Industry Impact: The flaws serve as a stark reminder that even localized vulnerabilities can have enterprise-wide consequences, especially in industrial networks.
Who Found It: Credit goes to Andreas Vikerup and Dan Rosenqvist from Shelltrail for the discovery.
Severity Score: CVSS rating stands at 8.1, categorized as âHighâ.
What Undercode Say:
The exposure of critical flaws in the IXON VPN Client once again underscores the dangers lurking in remote access systems, particularly when deployed in high-stakes environments like manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure. VPN clients often operate with elevated privileges by design, which makes any weakness in their temporary file handling or privilege control especially problematic.
From a technical perspective, the Linux exploit leverages a classic named pipe attack, exploiting predictable file paths and lax permission controls. This method is simple yet effective, especially for attackers with even minimal access. In the Windows variant, the race condition introduces a timing-based vulnerabilityâharder to execute but even more stealthy, especially since it doesnât require an active VPN connection.
These
The vendorâs swift release of version 1.4.4 demonstrates responsible disclosure and good incident response. However, it also highlights an uncomfortable truth: many widely deployed tools still fall short of basic secure development practices, such as using non-predictable, restricted file paths and minimizing root/SYSTEM dependencies.
For cybersecurity teams, this incident is a clarion call to:
Audit all privileged software for temporary file handling.
Regularly review user permissions, especially in shared environments.
Implement system monitoring that can detect unusual file creation patterns or script execution in privileged contexts.
Moreover, this case should push vendors to adopt secure-by-design principles. If the IXON client had sandboxed its operations or employed stricter access control measures around temp file usage, these flaws may never have existed. Security cannot be an afterthoughtâespecially in software operating at the heart of critical infrastructure.
In conclusion, while the immediate threat may be mitigated through patching, the lessons here are long-term. Industrial software must evolve not just to meet functional needs but also to resist the increasingly sophisticated tactics of attackers.
Fact Checker Results:
CVE identifiers (CVE-2025-26168, CVE-2025-26169) are officially recognized and rated High (8.1).
The vulnerabilities allow root/SYSTEM-level privilege escalation.
IXON has released an official patch (v1.4.4) mitigating both vulnerabilities.
Prediction:
As industrial systems continue to digitize, we expect a rise in attacks targeting software that bridges IT and OT (Operational Technology) environments. Future exploits may increasingly focus on privilege escalation via weak temp file management, race conditions, or dependency hijacking. Vendors that fail to prioritize security in foundational software like VPN clients may find themselves at the center of the next major cybersecurity incident.
References:
Reported By: cyberpress.org
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