CVE-2019-25568
Published: 21 March 2026
Summary
CVE-2019-25568 is a critical-severity Missing Authentication for Critical Function (CWE-306) vulnerability in Microvirt Memu. Its CVSS base score is 9.3 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Services File Permissions Weakness (T1574.010); ranked at the 23.6th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and CM-5 (Access Restrictions for Change).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2019-25568 is an insecure file permissions vulnerability (CWE-306) affecting Memu Play version 6.0.7, specifically the MemuService.exe executable in its installation directory. This flaw enables low-privilege users to replace the legitimate executable by renaming and overwriting it with a malicious version due to inadequate permissions protections. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating critical severity with potential for high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts.
Local low-privilege users with access to the system can exploit this vulnerability to achieve privilege escalation. By overwriting MemuService.exe with a malicious executable, attackers position their code to execute with system-level privileges upon service restart, typically triggered after a computer reboot. This grants attackers full administrative control over the host system.
Advisories and references, including those from VulnCheck and Exploit-DB (exploit 46437), detail the issue and provide proof-of-concept exploitation steps. The official Memu Play website offers download links for the software, potentially including patched versions for mitigation. Security practitioners should verify file permissions on affected installations and apply updates from the vendor.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2019-19884
Vulnerability details
Memu Play 6.0.7 contains an insecure file permissions vulnerability that allows low-privilege users to escalate privileges by replacing the MemuService.exe executable. Attackers can rename and overwrite MemuService.exe in the installation directory with a malicious executable, which executes with system-level privileges…
more
when the service restarts after a computer reboot.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Weak permissions on MemuService.exe directly enable binary replacement for service hijack/privilege escalation on restart.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Enforces strict file permissions on critical executables like MemuService.exe to prevent low-privilege users from overwriting them with malicious versions.
Restricts and authorizes modifications to system components such as service executables, directly mitigating unauthorized overwrites in the installation directory.
Monitors the integrity of software executables like MemuService.exe to detect unauthorized alterations or replacements by low-privilege users.