CVE-2020-9442Public exploit

SYSTEM privilege escalation via DLL side-loading

Published Feb 28, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Local privilege escalation in OpenVPN Connect 3.1.0.361 for Windows allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM during installation or upgrade. The installer leaves its ProgramData driver directory writable, so tapinstall.exe loads an attacker-supplied drvstore.dll from beside the executable. Low-privileged local access and a subsequent installation or upgrade are required; successful exploitation grants SYSTEM execution.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.64%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in OpenVPN Connect 3.1.0.361 for Windows allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM during installation or upgrade. The installer leaves its ProgramData driver directory writable, so tapinstall.exe loads an attacker-supplied drvstore.dll from beside the executable. Low-privileged local access and a subsequent installation or upgrade are required; successful exploitation grants SYSTEM execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-9442
Published
Feb 28, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-281, T1574.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 28, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-281Improper Preservation of Permissions
T1574.002DLL Side-Loading

Public exploit references

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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