CVE-2025-54422
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2025-07-29

Last updated on: 2025-08-04

Assigner: GitHub, Inc.

Description
Sandboxie is a sandbox-based isolation software for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows NT-based operating systems. In versions 1.16.1 and below, a critical security vulnerability exists in password handling mechanisms. During encrypted sandbox creation, user passwords are transmitted via shared memory, exposing them to potential interception. The vulnerability is particularly severe during password modification operations, where both old and new passwords are passed as plaintext command-line arguments to the Imbox process without any encryption or obfuscation. This implementation flaw allows any process within the user session, including unprivileged processes, to retrieve these sensitive credentials by reading the command-line arguments, thereby bypassing standard privilege requirements and creating a significant security risk. This is fixed in version 1.16.2.
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Meta Information
Published
2025-07-29
Last Modified
2025-08-04
Generated
2026-05-07
AI Q&A
2025-07-29
EPSS Evaluated
2026-05-05
NVD
EUVD
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
sandboxie-plus sandboxie to 1.16.2 (exc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-322 The product performs a key exchange with an actor without verifying the identity of that actor.
CWE-312 The product stores sensitive information in cleartext within a resource that might be accessible to another control sphere.
CWE-497 The product does not properly prevent sensitive system-level information from being accessed by unauthorized actors who do not have the same level of access to the underlying system as the product does.
CWE-522 The product transmits or stores authentication credentials, but it uses an insecure method that is susceptible to unauthorized interception and/or retrieval.
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AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?

This vulnerability in Sandboxie versions 1.16.1 and below involves insecure handling of passwords during encrypted sandbox creation and modification. While initial sandbox creation passes passwords via shared memory, the password change process is flawed because both old and new passwords are passed as plaintext command-line arguments to the Imbox process without encryption or obfuscation. This allows any process running in the same user session, including unprivileged ones, to read these command-line arguments and retrieve sensitive passwords, bypassing normal privilege restrictions and creating a significant security risk. [2]


How can this vulnerability impact me? :

This vulnerability can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sandbox passwords to any process running in the same user session, including unprivileged processes. Attackers or malicious software could intercept these plaintext passwords by reading command-line arguments, potentially gaining access to encrypted sandboxes and compromising the isolation and security Sandboxie is supposed to provide. This undermines the confidentiality of sensitive data and could lead to further exploitation within the affected system. [2]


How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:

This vulnerability exposes sensitive authentication credentials in plaintext to unauthorized processes, which can lead to unauthorized access to protected data. Such exposure can violate data protection requirements under standards like GDPR and HIPAA, which mandate the protection of personal and sensitive information against unauthorized disclosure. Therefore, this vulnerability negatively impacts compliance by increasing the risk of data breaches and unauthorized data access. [2]


How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?

This vulnerability can be detected by monitoring processes for the presence of plaintext passwords passed as command-line arguments to the Imbox process during password modification operations. Tools like Task Explorer or Process Explorer can be used to inspect command-line arguments of running processes within the user session. Specifically, look for the Imbox process and check if old and new passwords appear in plaintext in its command-line arguments. Commands such as 'wmic process where "name='Imbox.exe'" get CommandLine' on Windows or using Sysinternals Process Explorer to view command-line details can help identify this exposure. [2]


What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?

The immediate mitigation step is to upgrade Sandboxie to version 1.16.2 or later, where this vulnerability has been fixed. The fix involves secure handling of passwords by allocating locked virtual memory and securely passing password references to the Imbox process, eliminating plaintext exposure in command-line arguments and shared memory. Until the upgrade, avoid changing encrypted sandbox passwords or restrict unprivileged process access to command-line arguments within the user session to reduce risk. [1, 3]


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