CVE-2020-6921

SYSTEM file creation via archive path traversal

Published Feb 16, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Path traversal in HP Support Assistant before 9.11 allows local users to create arbitrary files with SYSTEM privileges during archive extraction. The UncompressCabFile function in the HP Support Framework API extracts a trusted CAB or ZIP archive without preventing traversal paths from escaping the intended destination. A local user able to invoke that API can place a file as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM and combine the write with DLL side-loading to execute code at SYSTEM integrity.

CVSS severity6.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.86%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in HP Support Assistant before 9.11 allows local users to create arbitrary files with SYSTEM privileges during archive extraction. The UncompressCabFile function in the HP Support Framework API extracts a trusted CAB or ZIP archive without preventing traversal paths from escaping the intended destination. A local user able to invoke that API can place a file as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM and combine the write with DLL side-loading to execute code at SYSTEM integrity.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-6921
Published
Feb 16, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Plantronics
Product
HP Support Assistant
Classifications
T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 16, 2022CVE 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=before 9.11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Plantronics · HP Support Assistantversion=before 9.11

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.9HP Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A: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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1574.001Hijack Execution Flow: DLL

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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