CVE-2020-36160

SYSTEM code execution via malicious OpenSSL configuration

Published Jan 6, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Local privilege escalation in Veritas System Recovery before 21.2 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM on Windows. At service startup, the application reads C:\usr\local\ssl\openssl.cnf from a user-creatable path and follows its engine directive to load attacker-controlled code. A low-privileged Windows account can plant the file without VSR privileges; execution occurs when the service restarts and grants control over the host, or the domain if it is a domain controller.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
EPSS probability0.43%
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

Local privilege escalation in Veritas System Recovery before 21.2 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM on Windows. At service startup, the application reads C:\usr\local\ssl\openssl.cnf from a user-creatable path and follows its engine directive to load attacker-controlled code. A low-privileged Windows account can plant the file without VSR privileges; execution occurs when the service restarts and grants control over the host, or the domain if it is a domain controller.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-36160
Published
Jan 6, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1574
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 6, 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?

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

8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
9.3VeritasCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1574Hijack Execution Flow

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