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Not all users are equal in Windows. Without administrator access, you can use the computer, but you aren’t allowed to install certain apps or perform commands, and you’re generally blocked from full control of the machine. But right now, you can grant yourself SYSTEM privileges on any Windows 10 machine simply by plugging in a Razer keyboard or mouse. That seems... bad.
Usually, different “user rights” are a good thing for Windows. It protects your system from people who would abuse those privileges, either nefariously or not. When you have admin—or SYSTEM—privileges, you are in total control over Windows, so it can be dangerous to give that power to just anyone.
The idea that plugging in the right mouse could give you total control over a computer sounds more unrealistic than a TV hacker, but it’s true. When you plug in one of these Razer peripherals, Windows will automatically download Razer Synapse, the software that controls certain settings for your mouse or keyboard. Said Razer software has SYSTEM privileges, since it launches from a Windows process with SYSTEM privileges.
But that’s not where the vulnerability comes into play. Once you install the software, Windows’ setup wizard asks which folder you’d like to save it to. When you choose a new location for the folder, you’ll see a “Choose a Folder” prompt. Press Shift and right-click on that, and you can choose “Open PowerShell window here,” which will open a new PowerShell window.
Because this PowerShell window was launched from a process with SYSTEM privileges, the PowerShell window itself now has SYSTEM privileges. In effect, you’ve turned yourself into an admin on the machine, able to perform any command you can think of in the PowerShell window.
You Can Gain Admin Privileges to Any Windows Machine by Plugging in a Razer Mouse
Is it an interesting security hack, or a PSA to keep your computer safe? (It's both.)
