CVE-2020-8701

Local privilege escalation via unsafe installer permissions

Published Feb 17, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Incorrect default permissions in the Intel SSD Toolbox installer before 2/9/2021 allow local users with high privileges to escalate privileges. The installer assigns overly permissive defaults, but Intel has not disclosed the affected file or directory or the subsequent privileged operation. Exploitation requires local high-privileged access and user interaction, and successful exploitation elevates operating-system privileges.

CVSS severity7.4
High
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect default permissions in the Intel SSD Toolbox installer before 2/9/2021 allow local users with high privileges to escalate privileges. The installer assigns overly permissive defaults, but Intel has not disclosed the affected file or directory or the subsequent privileged operation. Exploitation requires local high-privileged access and user interaction, and successful exploitation elevates operating-system privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-8701
Published
Feb 17, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Intel Corporation
Product
Intel SSD Toolbox
Classifications
CWE-276, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 17, 2021CVE 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=versions before 2/9/2021

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Intel Corporation · Intel SSD Toolboxversion=versions before 2/9/2021

Published CVSS scores

6.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.4Intel CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
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.

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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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-276Incorrect Default Permissions
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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