# CVE-2020-9671: Privilege escalation in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application

> Insecure file permissions in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop allow attackers to escalate privileges on the local system.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Jul 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9q3x-qq6c-v6jx

## What is CVE-2020-9671?

CVE-2020-9671 is a critical vulnerability in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application, published on 17 Jul 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application versions 5.1 and earlier have an insecure file permissions vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to privilege escalation.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-9671?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-9671?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-9671 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-9671 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-9671 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application

- [CVE-2020-9682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9682/): Path traversal in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-9670](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9670/): Path traversal in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-48272](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48272/): Creative Cloud Desktop | Uncontrolled Search Path Element (CWE-427) (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-48344](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48344/): GoCart | Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition (CWE-367) (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-43019](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43019/): Adobe Creative Cloud Incorrect Permission Assignment Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-9671 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-9671 is a critical vulnerability in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application, published on 17 Jul 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-9671 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application. 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-2020-9671/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9671/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-9671
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-9671
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-9671

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-9671/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.