CVE-2020-9681

Privilege escalation via uncontrolled library search path

Published Apr 16, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Adobe Genuine Service 6.6 and earlier contains an uncontrolled search-path flaw that lets remote authenticated users gain elevated permissions via local file replacement. The service loads libraries or binaries from an attacker-influenced search location, allowing a high-privilege authenticated user to rewrite an administrator-owned file when a user interacts with the service. Exploitation is local, requires high privileges and user interaction, and can affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability through privilege escalation.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.68%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Adobe Genuine Service 6.6 and earlier contains an uncontrolled search-path flaw that lets remote authenticated users gain elevated permissions via local file replacement. The service loads libraries or binaries from an attacker-influenced search location, allowing a high-privilege authenticated user to rewrite an administrator-owned file when a user interacts with the service. Exploitation is local, requires high privileges and user interaction, and can affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability through privilege escalation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-9681
Published
Apr 16, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 16, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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

4.4NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
6.5Adobe PSIRTCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1574.002DLL Side-Loading

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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