CVE-2020-5837

Privilege elevation via symbolic-link log replacement

Published May 11, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Link-following in Broadcom Symantec Endpoint Protection before 14.3 allows local users to elevate privileges via replaced log files. The Windows endpoint's log writer follows attacker-created symbolic links and writes without respecting the destination's file permissions. The attack requires a low-privileged local account able to replace a log path; successful redirection alters protected files and elevates that account.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.75%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Link-following in Broadcom Symantec Endpoint Protection before 14.3 allows local users to elevate privileges via replaced log files. The Windows endpoint's log writer follows attacker-created symbolic links and writes without respecting the destination's file permissions. The attack requires a low-privileged local account able to replace a log path; successful redirection alters protected files and elevates that account.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-5837
Published
May 11, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Broadcom
Product
Symantec Endpoint Protection
Classifications
CWE-59, CAPEC-132, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 11, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Prior to 14.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Broadcom · Symantec Endpoint Protectionversion=Prior to 14.3

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

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 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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CAPEC-132Symlink Attack
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo