CVE-2020-36953Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via unquoted service path

Published Jan 26, 2026 · Updated Jan 26, 2026

Privilege escalation in MiniTool ShadowMaker 3.2 and earlier allows local users to execute code through the MTAgentService path. MTAgentService registers C:\Program Files\MiniTool ShadowMaker\AgentService.exe without quotes, so Windows can resolve an attacker-planted executable earlier in the spaced path. A low-privileged local user needs write access to a searched path location and a service start; successful execution runs as LocalSystem.

CVSS severity8.5
High
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in MiniTool ShadowMaker 3.2 and earlier allows local users to execute code through the MTAgentService path. MTAgentService registers C:\Program Files\MiniTool ShadowMaker\AgentService.exe without quotes, so Windows can resolve an attacker-planted executable earlier in the spaced path. A low-privileged local user needs write access to a searched path location and a service start; successful execution runs as LocalSystem.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-36953
Published
Jan 26, 2026
Updated
Jan 26, 2026
Vendor
MiniTool Software Ltd.
Product
MiniTool ShadowMaker
Classifications
CWE-428, T1574.009
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 26, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 26, 2026Record 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=0 <=3.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

MiniTool Software Ltd. · MiniTool ShadowMakerversion=0 <=3.2

Published CVSS scores

8.5VulnCheckCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
7.8VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

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

Public exploit references

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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