CVE-2020-12828

Local SYSTEM code execution via executable path injection

Published May 21, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Privilege escalation in AnchorFree VPN SDK before 1.3.3.218 allows local users to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. The privileged VPN SDK service accepts an executable path through a localhost-bound socket and launches the referenced file without establishing that the caller or path is trusted. Exploitation requires local access to connect to the socket and place or reference a malicious executable, resulting in SYSTEM-level code execution.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability3.28%
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 AnchorFree VPN SDK before 1.3.3.218 allows local users to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. The privileged VPN SDK service accepts an executable path through a localhost-bound socket and launches the referenced file without establishing that the caller or path is trusted. Exploitation requires local access to connect to the socket and place or reference a malicious executable, resulting in SYSTEM-level code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-12828
Published
May 21, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-434, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 21, 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

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
10.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-434Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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