Local privilege escalation via unquoted service path
Published Jan 25, 2026 · Updated Jan 25, 2026
Unquoted service path handling in KMSpico 17.1.0.0 allows local users to execute code with LocalSystem privileges during service startup. The Service KMSELDI configuration registers C:\Program Files\KMSpico\Service_KMS.exe without quotation marks, so Windows can select an attacker-placed executable from an earlier path segment. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access, permission to place that executable, and a subsequent service start; the resulting code runs as LocalSystem.
Summary
What happened
Unquoted service path handling in KMSpico 17.1.0.0 allows local users to execute code with LocalSystem privileges during service startup. The Service KMSELDI configuration registers C:\Program Files\KMSpico\Service_KMS.exe without quotation marks, so Windows can select an attacker-placed executable from an earlier path segment. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access, permission to place that executable, and a subsequent service start; the resulting code runs as LocalSystem.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2020-36935
- Published
- Jan 25, 2026
- Updated
- Jan 25, 2026
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-428, T1574.009
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jan 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- KMSpico 17.1.0.0 Service KMSELDI Unquoted Service Pathproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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