CVE-2020-14974Public exploit

Privileged process termination via world-accessible driver IOCTL

Published Jun 23, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper access control in IObit Unlocker 1.1.2 allows local users to terminate privileged processes through its kernel driver. The IObitUnlocker.sys device grants Everyone full access, and IOCTL 0x222124 accepts a user-supplied file path before killing processes that hold it open. Any low-privileged local account can open the device and stop even SYSTEM processes that hold the targeted file open.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.90%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in IObit Unlocker 1.1.2 allows local users to terminate privileged processes through its kernel driver. The IObitUnlocker.sys device grants Everyone full access, and IOCTL 0x222124 accepts a user-supplied file path before killing processes that hold it open. Any low-privileged local account can open the device and stop even SYSTEM processes that hold the targeted file open.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-14974
Published
Jun 23, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1489
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 23, 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

7.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
6.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/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.

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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

T1489Service Stop

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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