LocalSystem privilege escalation via unquoted service paths
Published Apr 4, 2026 · Updated Apr 4, 2026
Unquoted service paths in IObit Malware Fighter 4.3.1 allow local users to execute code with LocalSystem privileges. The IMFservice and LiveUpdateSvc configurations register space-containing executable paths without quotes, so Windows can select an attacker-placed executable earlier in either path. Exploitation requires local access to place that file and a service restart or system reboot; successful execution runs as LocalSystem.
Summary
What happened
Unquoted service paths in IObit Malware Fighter 4.3.1 allow local users to execute code with LocalSystem privileges. The IMFservice and LiveUpdateSvc configurations register space-containing executable paths without quotes, so Windows can select an attacker-placed executable earlier in either path. Exploitation requires local access to place that file and a service restart or system reboot; successful execution runs as LocalSystem.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2016-20059
- Published
- Apr 4, 2026
- Updated
- Apr 4, 2026
- Vendor
- IObit
- Product
- IObit Malware Fighter
- Classifications
- CWE-428, T1574.009
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 4, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 4, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=4.3.1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- IObit Malware Fighter 4.3.1 - Unquoted Service Path Privilege Escalationproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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