# CVE-2020-10642: Privilege escalation in Rockwell Automation RSLinx Classic versions 4.1.00 and prior

> An authenticated local attacker can modify a registry key to execute malicious code with system privileges when opening RSLinx Classic.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 13 Apr 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qgxw-xq35-5qcq

## What is CVE-2020-10642?

CVE-2020-10642 is a high-severity vulnerability in Rockwell Automation RSLinx Classic versions 4.1.00 and prior, published on 13 Apr 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Rockwell Automation RSLinx Classic versions 4.11.00 and prior, an authenticated local attacker could modify a registry key, which could lead to the execution of malicious code using system privileges when opening RSLinx Classic.

Weakness: CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-10642?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Rockwellautomation Rslinx Classic.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-10642?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-10642 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-10642 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-10642 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-10642 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-10642 is a high-severity vulnerability in Rockwell Automation RSLinx Classic versions 4.1.00 and prior, published on 13 Apr 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-10642 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Rockwell Automation RSLinx Classic versions 4.1.00 and prior. 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-2020-10642/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10642/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-10642
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-10642
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-10642

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10642/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.