CVE-2020-24451

Local privilege escalation via uncontrolled installer search path

Published Feb 17, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Uncontrolled search path in Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory software before 1.00.00.3506 allows local users to escalate privileges. The Windows installer resolves a required resource through an uncontrolled search path, but Intel has not disclosed the resource, lookup order, or affected installer component. Exploitation requires a local authenticated user and victim interaction, and successful exploitation grants elevated privileges on the Windows server.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.30%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled search path in Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory software before 1.00.00.3506 allows local users to escalate privileges. The Windows installer resolves a required resource through an uncontrolled search path, but Intel has not disclosed the resource, lookup order, or affected installer component. Exploitation requires a local authenticated user and victim interaction, and successful exploitation grants elevated privileges on the Windows server.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-24451
Published
Feb 17, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Intel Corporation
Product
DCPM Software for Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory for Windows Server 2019
Classifications
CWE-427
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 17, 2021CVE 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=before version 1.00.00.3506

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Intel Corporation · DCPM Software for Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory for Windows Server 2019version=before version 1.00.00.3506

Published CVSS scores

6.7Intel CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.4NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

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-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo