# CVE-2016-20090: Comodo Dragon Browser 52.15.25.663 Privilege Escalation via Unquoted Service Path

> Local attackers can escalate privileges to SYSTEM by exploiting an unquoted service path in the Comodo Dragon Browser updater.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 22 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9mv8-29r8-jw5c

## What is CVE-2016-20090?

CVE-2016-20090 is a high-severity vulnerability in Comodo Dragon Browser, published on 19 Jun 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Comodo Dragon Browser versions up to 52.15.25.663 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability in the DragonUpdater service due to an unquoted service path running with SYSTEM privileges. A local attacker can insert a malicious executable in the service path and execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges upon service restart or system reboot.

Weakness: CWE-428 (Unquoted Search Path or Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-20090?


## How do I fix CVE-2016-20090?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-20090 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-20090 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2016-20090 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-20090 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-20090 is a high-severity vulnerability in Comodo Dragon Browser, published on 19 Jun 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2016-20090 exists.

Affected product: Comodo Dragon Browser. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-20090/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-20090/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-20090
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-20090
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-20090

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-20090/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.