New Bug in Razer Software Could Allow Users to Gain Admin Access GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Internet & Security

New Bug in Razer Software Could Allow Users to Gain Admin Access

The exploit affects Windows 10 and Windows 11 users

By Cesar Cadenas Cesar Cadenas Writer California State University - Long Beach Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the tech industry since 2016 on a variety of topics like cryptocurrency, video games, the latest gadgets, and much more. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on August 23, 2021 02:02PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Internet & Security Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming A new bug has been discovered in Razer software that can give someone admin access to a Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer. The exploit was discovered by security researcher jonhat, who shared his findings on Twitter in a video detailing the process. Tech news site Bleeding Computer replicated the access and stated it took 2 minutes to gain admin privileges on a Windows 10 computer. Oscar Wong/Getty Images The way the exploits works is through Razer’s Synapse software, which is a hardware configuration tool. When someone plugs in a Razer device, a mouse, for example, into their Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC, the computer will download Synapse to configure the device and allow various functions to be available. It is during this process that hackers can exploit a flaw in the configuration process to gain access to the computer on which the device is being installed. One of the biggest issues with this exploit is how widespread and easy to gain access it is. Razer sells mice for as low as $20 on Amazon, and according to the company, Synapse is used by over 100 million users worldwide. MoMo Productions/Getty Images It’s important to note that any software that has the option to control applications and automatically install itself (in the same manner that Synapse does) can make a computer vulnerable to this exploit. Jonhat later tweeted that Razer had contacted him and is currently working on a fix. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Fix Razer Synapse Not Detecting a Mouse or Keyboard Windows 11: News, Release Date, and Specs How to Disable Remote Assistance and Desktop in Windows XP 15 Best Free Remote Access Software Tools (Oct. 2022) A Brief History of Microsoft Windows How to Use BlueStacks to Run Android Apps on Windows Microsoft Windows XP on New Computers Can I Run Windows 11 on My Computer? LogiLDA.dll: What It Means and How to Fix It The 8 Best Commercial Backup Software Programs of 2022 9 Best Free Firewall Programs (Updated October 2022) What Is Spyware? Plus, How to Protect Yourself Against It How to Open an Elevated Command Prompt in Windows 16 Ways To Fix It When Print Screen Is Not Working in Windows How to Access Advanced Startup Options in Windows 11/10/8 A Brief History of Malware Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies