CVE-2019-18194Public exploit

SYSTEM code execution via junction-redirection quarantine restore

Published Jan 10, 2020 · Updated Aug 5, 2024

Privilege escalation in TotalAV 2020 4.14.31 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM through the quarantine restore feature. The privileged Windows service follows an attacker-created NTFS directory junction when restoring a quarantined DLL and writes it into System32. A signed-in non-administrator who can restore quarantined files can redirect the write and trigger DLL loading in a privileged process.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability2.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in TotalAV 2020 4.14.31 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM through the quarantine restore feature. The privileged Windows service follows an attacker-created NTFS directory junction when restoring a quarantined DLL and writes it into System32. A signed-in non-administrator who can restore quarantined files can redirect the write and trigger DLL loading in a privileged process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-18194
Published
Jan 10, 2020
Updated
Aug 5, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 10, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1574.001Hijack Execution Flow: DLL

Public exploit references

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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