CVE-2020-1988

Local privilege escalation via unquoted search path

Published Apr 8, 2020 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Unquoted search path in GlobalProtect App 4.1 before 4.1.13 and 5.0 before 5.0.5 allows authenticated local users system privileges. The Windows agent resolves an executable path without quoting it, allowing a user who can create files in C:\ or Program Files to place a malicious executable that is selected during privileged execution. The gate requires authenticated local access plus those file-creation permissions; impact is elevation to system privileges on the affected endpoint.

CVSS severity4.2
Medium
EPSS probability0.37%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Unquoted search path in GlobalProtect App 4.1 before 4.1.13 and 5.0 before 5.0.5 allows authenticated local users system privileges. The Windows agent resolves an executable path without quoting it, allowing a user who can create files in C:\ or Program Files to place a malicious executable that is selected during privileged execution. The gate requires authenticated local access plus those file-creation permissions; impact is elevation to system privileges on the affected endpoint.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-1988
Published
Apr 8, 2020
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Palo Alto Networks
Product
GlobalProtect App
Classifications
CWE-428, T1574.009
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 8, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.1 <4.1.13 changes=[{"at":"4.1.13","status":"unaffected"}]
  2. Affected versionversion=5.0 <5.0.5 changes=[{"at":"5.0.5","status":"unaffected"}]

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Palo Alto Networks · GlobalProtect Appversion=4.1 <4.1.13 changes=[{"at":"4.1.13","status":"unaffected"}]; version=5.0 <5.0.5 changes=[{"at":"5.0.5","status":"unaffected"}]

Published CVSS scores

4.2Palo Alto NetworksCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

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-428Unquoted Search Path or Element
T1574.009Path Interception by Unquoted Path

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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