Local privilege escalation via unquoted service path
Published Jan 28, 2026 · Updated Jan 28, 2026
Unquoted service path in Gear Box Computers IP Watcher 3.0.0.30 allows local users to execute code with LocalSystem privileges. The IPWatcherSvc configuration registers its Program Files executable path without quotation marks, allowing Windows to select an attacker-placed executable during path parsing. Exploitation requires local access and placement of a malicious executable in a searched path before service startup or reboot.
Summary
What happened
Unquoted service path in Gear Box Computers IP Watcher 3.0.0.30 allows local users to execute code with LocalSystem privileges. The IPWatcherSvc configuration registers its Program Files executable path without quotation marks, allowing Windows to select an attacker-placed executable during path parsing. Exploitation requires local access and placement of a malicious executable in a searched path before service startup or reboot.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2020-36985
- Published
- Jan 28, 2026
- Updated
- Jan 28, 2026
- Vendor
- Gear Box Computers
- Product
- IP Watcher
- Classifications
- CWE-428, T1574.009
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 28, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jan 28, 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.
- Affected versionversion=3.0.0.30
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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
- IP Watcher v3.0.0.30 - 'PACService.exe' Unquoted Service Pathproof of concept · demonstrated
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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