# CVE-2020-6021: Privilege escalation in Check Point Endpoint Security Client for Windows

> An attacker can escalate privileges by placing a malicious DLL in the repair directory, which executes with elevated privileges during installation repair.

- **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:** 3 Dec 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p633-7rgq-3w9f

## What is CVE-2020-6021?

CVE-2020-6021 is a high-severity vulnerability in Check Point Endpoint Security Client for Windows, published on 3 Dec 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Check Point Endpoint Security Client for Windows before version E84.20 allows write access to the directory from which the installation repair takes place. Since the MS Installer allows regular users to run the repair, an attacker can initiate the installation repair and place a specially crafted DLL in the repair folder which will run with the Endpoint client’s privileges.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-6021?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Checkpoint Endpoint Security.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-6021?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-6021 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-6021 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-6021 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Check Point Endpoint Security Client for Windows

- [CVE-2023-28134](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28134/): Local Privliege Escalation in Check Point Endpoint Security Remediation Service (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2023-28133](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28133/): Privilege escalation in Harmony Endpoint. (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-23742](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23742/): Path traversal in Check Point Endpoint Security Client for Windows (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-30360](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-30360/): Privilege escalation in Check Point Remote Access Client (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2019-8452](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8452/): Privilege escalation in Check Point Endpoint Security client for Windows (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-6021 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-6021 is a high-severity vulnerability in Check Point Endpoint Security Client for Windows, published on 3 Dec 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-2020-6021 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Check Point Endpoint Security Client for Windows. 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-2020-6021/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6021/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-6021
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-6021
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-6021

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6021/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.