CVE-2020-36165

SYSTEM code execution via OpenSSL configuration hijack

Published Jan 6, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Local privilege escalation in Veritas Desktop and Laptop Option before 9.4 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM on Windows. At startup, DLO loads OpenSSL from /ReleaseX64/ssl, and OpenSSL reads a missing openssl.cnf from a root-level path writable by ordinary users. A low-privileged Windows account can place a configuration that loads a malicious OpenSSL engine; restarting the service then grants SYSTEM control over data and applications.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
EPSS probability0.43%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in Veritas Desktop and Laptop Option before 9.4 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM on Windows. At startup, DLO loads OpenSSL from /ReleaseX64/ssl, and OpenSSL reads a missing openssl.cnf from a root-level path writable by ordinary users. A low-privileged Windows account can place a configuration that loads a malicious OpenSSL engine; restarting the service then grants SYSTEM control over data and applications.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-36165
Published
Jan 6, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1129
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

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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

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

T1129Shared Modules

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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