CVE-2020-10939

SYSTEM code execution via writable service directory

Published Mar 27, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Privilege escalation in Phoenix Contact PC WORX SRT 1.14 and earlier allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. The default permissions on the service installation directory let an unprivileged account replace configuration files or the service executable with arbitrary files. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access; a rogue replacement binary runs when the service executes, granting full SYSTEM control.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.30%
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 Phoenix Contact PC WORX SRT 1.14 and earlier allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. The default permissions on the service installation directory let an unprivileged account replace configuration files or the service executable with arbitrary files. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access; a rogue replacement binary runs when the service executes, granting full SYSTEM control.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-10939
Published
Mar 27, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-276, CWE-269, T1574.010
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 27, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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

7.8CERT@VDECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-276Incorrect Default Permissions
CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1574.010Services File Permissions Weakness

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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