CVE-2023-36657

Physical privilege escalation via unblocked Windows keystrokes

Published Sep 15, 2023 · Updated Sep 25, 2024

Privilege escalation in OPSWAT MetaDefender Kiosk before 4.6.2 allows physically proximate attackers to gain elevated access. The kiosk interface fails to block keystrokes that invoke Windows desktop shortcuts and Narrator, exposing privileged operating-system features. The attack requires physical access and direct interaction with the kiosk and grants permissions beyond those intended for kiosk users.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.69%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in OPSWAT MetaDefender Kiosk before 4.6.2 allows physically proximate attackers to gain elevated access. The kiosk interface fails to block keystrokes that invoke Windows desktop shortcuts and Narrator, exposing privileged operating-system features. The attack requires physical access and direct interaction with the kiosk and grants permissions beyond those intended for kiosk users.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-36657
Published
Sep 15, 2023
Updated
Sep 25, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-269, T1548
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 15, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 25, 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 vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

5.9OPSWATCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1548Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism

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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