LocalSystem code execution via unquoted service path
Published Feb 3, 2026 · Updated Feb 3, 2026
Unquoted service path handling in Adaware Web Companion 4.9.2159 allows local users to execute code as LocalSystem during service startup. WCAssistantService registers its binary path without quotation marks, allowing Windows to select an attacker-planted executable from an earlier whitespace-delimited path component. Low-privileged local access and permission to write to a searched location are required; successful exploitation grants LocalSystem code execution.
Summary
What happened
Unquoted service path handling in Adaware Web Companion 4.9.2159 allows local users to execute code as LocalSystem during service startup. WCAssistantService registers its binary path without quotation marks, allowing Windows to select an attacker-planted executable from an earlier whitespace-delimited path component. Low-privileged local access and permission to write to a searched location are required; successful exploitation grants LocalSystem code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2020-37102
- Published
- Feb 3, 2026
- Updated
- Feb 3, 2026
- Vendor
- Adaware
- Product
- Adaware Web Companion
- Classifications
- CWE-428, T1574.009
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 3, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 3, 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=4.9.2159
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
- Adaware Web Companion 4.9.2159 WCAssistantService Unquoted Service Pathproof of concept · unverified
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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