CVE-2020-36983Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via unquoted service path

Published Jan 27, 2026 · Updated Jan 27, 2026

Unquoted service path handling in Quick 'n Easy FTP Service 3.2 allows local users to execute code with LocalSystem privileges. The Windows service registers ftpservice.exe under an unquoted C:\Program Files (x86)\Quick 'n Easy FTP Service path, so service startup can resolve an attacker-planted executable before the intended binary. Exploitation requires local filesystem write access and a system boot or service restart, after which the planted code runs as LocalSystem.

CVSS severity8.5
High
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Unquoted service path handling in Quick 'n Easy FTP Service 3.2 allows local users to execute code with LocalSystem privileges. The Windows service registers ftpservice.exe under an unquoted C:\Program Files (x86)\Quick 'n Easy FTP Service path, so service startup can resolve an attacker-planted executable before the intended binary. Exploitation requires local filesystem write access and a system boot or service restart, after which the planted code runs as LocalSystem.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-36983
Published
Jan 27, 2026
Updated
Jan 27, 2026
Vendor
Pablo Software Solutions
Product
Quick 'n Easy FTP Service
Classifications
CWE-428, T1574.009
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 27, 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=3.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Pablo Software Solutions · Quick 'n Easy FTP Serviceversion=3.2

Published CVSS scores

7.8VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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

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.

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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 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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