CVE-2020-13162Public exploit

SYSTEM privilege escalation via installer file swap

Published Jun 16, 2020 · Updated May 5, 2025

Privilege escalation in Pulse Secure Client before 9.1.6 for Windows allows local users to execute arbitrary MSI files as SYSTEM. Within PulseSecureService.exe, dsInstallerService verifies the signature of a legitimate installer but later executes the file at the same path, allowing replacement after validation. An unprivileged local user must win the file-swap race; success grants administrative control through attacker-supplied installer code.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.79%
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 Pulse Secure Client before 9.1.6 for Windows allows local users to execute arbitrary MSI files as SYSTEM. Within PulseSecureService.exe, dsInstallerService verifies the signature of a legitimate installer but later executes the file at the same path, allowing replacement after validation. An unprivileged local user must win the file-swap race; success grants administrative control through attacker-supplied installer code.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-13162
Published
Jun 16, 2020
Updated
May 5, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-367, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 16, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 5, 2025Record 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

7.0NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.0CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-367Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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