HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2020-11446
HIGH

CVE-2020-11446

CWE-59Published: April 29, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

ESET Antivirus and Antispyware Module module 1553 through 1560 allows a user with limited access rights to create hard links in some ESET directories and then force the product to write through these links into files that would normally not be write-able by the user, thus achieving privilege escalation.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2020-11446 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

eset8 product(s)
antivirus and antispywareendpoint antivirusendpoint securityfile securityinternet securitymail securitynod32 antivirussmart security
Source: NVD CPE · 8 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

ADVISORYhttps://support.eset.com/en/ca7489-local-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-fixed-in-eset-products-for-windows
ADVISORYhttps://support.eset.com/en/ca7489-local-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-fixed-in-eset-products-for-windows

All References (2)

→
https://support.eset.com/en/ca7489-local-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-fixed-in-eset-products-for-windowsVendor Advisory
→
https://support.eset.com/en/ca7489-local-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-fixed-in-eset-products-for-windowsVendor Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2020-11446
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-59
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedApr 29, 2020

Related CVEs (CWE-59)

CVE-2002-2374
10.0
CVE-2024-28189
10.0
CVE-2024-28185
10.0
CVE-2014-4480
10.0
CVE-2026-44881
9.9
CVE-2026-7374
9.9

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2020-11446 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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