# CVE-2020-8146: Privilege escalation in UniFi Video Controller (for Windows 7/8/10 x64)

> Local attackers can escalate privileges to SYSTEM via arbitrary file deletion and DLL hijacking in the UniFi Video Controller on Windows.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 1 Apr 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g69v-3cvh-v6hf

## What is CVE-2020-8146?

CVE-2020-8146 is a high-severity vulnerability in UniFi Video Controller (for Windows 7/8/10 x64), published on 1 Apr 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

In UniFi Video v3.10.1 (for Windows 7/8/10 x64) there is a Local Privileges Escalation to SYSTEM from arbitrary file deletion and DLL hijack vulnerabilities. The issue was fixed by adjusting the .tsExport folder when the controller is running on Windows and adjusting the SafeDllSearchMode in the windows registry when installing UniFi-Video controller. Affected Products: UniFi Video Controller v3.10.2 (for Windows 7/8/10 x64) and prior. Fixed in UniFi Video Controller v3.10.3 and newer.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-8146?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ui Unifi Video.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-8146?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-8146 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-8146 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-8146 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in UniFi Video Controller (for Windows 7/8/10 x64)

- [CVE-2019-5430](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5430/): Cross-site request forgery in UniFi Video Server (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-8144](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8144/): Path traversal in UniFi Video Controller (for Windows 7/8/10 x64) (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2020-24755](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-24755/): Other in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2016-6914](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6914/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2020-8145](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8145/): Missing authorization in UniFi Video Controller (for Windows 7/8/10 x64) (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-8146 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-8146 is a high-severity vulnerability in UniFi Video Controller (for Windows 7/8/10 x64), published on 1 Apr 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-8146 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: UniFi Video Controller (for Windows 7/8/10 x64). 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-2020-8146/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8146/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-8146
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8146
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-8146

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8146/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.