CVE-2021-43460Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via unquoted service path

Published Apr 4, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Unquoted service path handling in System Explorer 7.0.0 allows local users to execute code as LocalSystem through the help service. SystemExplorerHelpService registers C:\Program Files (x86)\System Explorer\service\SystemExplorerService64.exe without quotation marks, so Windows can resolve an attacker-controlled executable from an earlier path segment. A low-privileged user must place that executable and wait for the demand-start service to launch, yielding LocalSystem privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.46%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Unquoted service path handling in System Explorer 7.0.0 allows local users to execute code as LocalSystem through the help service. SystemExplorerHelpService registers C:\Program Files (x86)\System Explorer\service\SystemExplorerService64.exe without quotation marks, so Windows can resolve an attacker-controlled executable from an earlier path segment. A low-privileged user must place that executable and wait for the demand-start service to launch, yielding LocalSystem privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-43460
Published
Apr 4, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-428, T1574.009
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 4, 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?

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

7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
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.

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

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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-428Unquoted Search Path or Element
T1574.009Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Unquoted Path

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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