CVE-2020-5896

Local privilege escalation via weak installer-folder permissions

Published May 12, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Privilege escalation in F5 Networks BIG-IP Edge Client 7.1.5 through 7.1.9 allows local users to execute signed EXE and MSI files. The Windows Installer Service creates its temporary folder with permissions that let low-privileged accounts influence signed content executed there. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and yields elevated code execution in the installer service context.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.30%
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 F5 Networks BIG-IP Edge Client 7.1.5 through 7.1.9 allows local users to execute signed EXE and MSI files. The Windows Installer Service creates its temporary folder with permissions that let low-privileged accounts influence signed content executed there. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and yields elevated code execution in the installer service context.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-5896
Published
May 12, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
F5 Networks
Product
BIG-IP Edge Client
Classifications
CWE-276, T1574.005
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 12, 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

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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=7.1.5-7.1.9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

F5 Networks · BIG-IP Edge Clientversion=7.1.5-7.1.9

Published CVSS scores

7.0F5 NetworksCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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
7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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.

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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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-276Incorrect Default Permissions
T1574.005Executable Installer File Permissions Weakness

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

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Your stack

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