CVE-2019-12571
A vulnerability in the London Trust Media Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN Client v0.9.8 beta ...
A vulnerability in the London Trust Media Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN Client v0.9.8 beta (build 02099) for macOS could allow an authenticated, local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files. When the client initiates a connection, the XML /tmp/pia-watcher.plist file is created. If the file exists, it will be truncated and the contents completely overwritten. This file is removed on disconnect. An unprivileged user can create a hard or soft link to arbitrary files owned by any user on the system, including root. This creates a denial of service condition and possible data loss if leveraged by a malicious local user.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
A vulnerability in the London Trust Media Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN Client v0.9.8 beta (build 02099) for macOS could allow an authenticated, local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files. When the client initiates a connection, the XML /tmp/pia-watcher.plist file is created. If the file exists, it will be truncated and the contents completely overwritten. This file is removed on disconnect. An unprivileged user can create a hard or soft link to arbitrary files owned by any user on the system, including root. This creates a denial of service condition and possible data loss if leveraged by a malicious local user.
- Record
CVE-2019-12571- CVSS 3.0
- 7.1 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 6.6 Medium
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-59
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
A vulnerability in the London Trust Media Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN Client v0.9.8 beta (build 02099) for macOS could allow an authenticated, local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files. When the client initiates a connection, the XML /tmp/pia-watcher.plist file is created. If the file exists, it will be truncated and the contents completely overwritten. This file is removed on disconnect. An unprivileged user can create a hard or soft link to arbitrary files owned by any user on the system, including root. This creates a denial of service condition and possible data loss if leveraged by a malicious local user.
- Record
CVE-2019-12571- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2019-4165 No score
A vulnerability in the London Trust Media Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN Client v0.9.8 beta (build 02099) for macOS could allow an authenticated, local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files. When the client initiates a connection, the XML /tmp/pia-watcher.plist file is created. If the file exists, it will be truncated and the contents completely overwritten. This file is removed on disconnect. An unprivileged user can create a hard or soft link to arbitrary files owned by any user on the system, including root. This creates a denial of service condition and possible data loss if leveraged by a malicious local user.
- Record
EUVD-2019-4165- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-rcf9-hj2v-5jg5 No score
A vulnerability in the London Trust Media Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN Client v0.9.8 beta ...
A vulnerability in the London Trust Media Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN Client v0.9.8 beta (build 02099) for macOS could allow an authenticated, local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files. When the client initiates a connection, the XML /tmp/pia-watcher.plist file is created. If the file exists, it will be truncated and the contents completely overwritten. This file is removed on disconnect. An unprivileged user can create a hard or soft link to arbitrary files owned by any user on the system, including root. This creates a denial of service condition and possible data loss if leveraged by a malicious local user.
- Record
GHSA-rcf9-hj2v-5jg5- Weakness
- CWE-59
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2019-12571 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.1) in Londontrustmedia Private Internet Access Vpn Client, published July 11, 2019. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.64%, the 51st percentile. No source names a fixed version.