CVE-2024-23774

SYSTEM code execution via unquoted launch paths

Published Apr 30, 2024 · Updated Aug 1, 2024

Unquoted search paths in Quest KACE Agent for Windows 12.0.38 and 13.1.23.0 allow local users to execute code as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM. KSchedulerSvc.exe and AMPTools.exe launch executables without consistently quoting their Windows paths, allowing a planted executable to be selected first. A low-privileged local user who can place a file in a searched path gains SYSTEM-level code execution when a vulnerable component starts.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.44%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Unquoted search paths in Quest KACE Agent for Windows 12.0.38 and 13.1.23.0 allow local users to execute code as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM. KSchedulerSvc.exe and AMPTools.exe launch executables without consistently quoting their Windows paths, allowing a planted executable to be selected first. A low-privileged local user who can place a file in a searched path gains SYSTEM-level code execution when a vulnerable component starts.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-23774
Published
Apr 30, 2024
Updated
Aug 1, 2024
Vendor
Quest Software
Product
KACE Systems Management Appliance
Classifications
CWE-22, T1574.009
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 30, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 1, 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=0 <13.1.25
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <13.2.24

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Quest Software · KACE Systems Management Applianceversion=0 <13.1.25; version=0 <13.2.24

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS: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 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-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1574.009Path Interception by Unquoted Path

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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