CVE-2016-20060

Hotspot Shield 6.0.3 contains an unquoted service path vulnerability in the hshld service binary that allows local attackers to escalate privileges by injecting malicious executables. Attackers can place executable files in the service path and upon service restart or system reboot, the malicious code executes with LocalSystem privileges.

CVSS v3 7.8 HIGH

7.8^/10

CVSS v3 : HIGH

Vector :

Exploitability : 1.8 / Impact : 5.9

Attack Vector LOCAL

Attack Complexity LOW

Privileges Required LOW

User Interaction NONE

Confidentiality Impact HIGH

Integrity Impact HIGH

Availability Impact HIGH

Scope UNCHANGED

References

Link	Resource
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40528
https://www.hotspotshield.com
https://www.hotspotshield.com/download/
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/hotspot-shield-unquoted-service-path-privilege-escalation

Configurations

No configuration.

History

No history.

Information

Published : 2026-04-04 14:16

Updated : 2026-07-20 20:10

NVD link : CVE-2016-20060

Mitre link : CVE-2016-20060

CVE.ORG link : CVE-2016-20060

JSON object : View

Products Affected

No product.

CWE

CWE-428

Unquoted Search Path or Element

{"id": "CVE-2016-20060", "cveTags": [], "metrics": {"ssvcV203": [{"source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0", "ssvcData": {"id": "CVE-2016-20060", "role": "CISA Coordinator", "options": [{"exploitation": "poc"}, {"automatable": "no"}, {"technicalImpact": "total"}], "version": "2.0.3", "timestamp": "2026-04-06T13:28:36.678248Z"}}], "cvssMetricV31": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "cvssData": {"scope": "UNCHANGED", "version": "3.1", "baseScore": 7.8, "attackVector": "LOCAL", "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "userInteraction": "NONE", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"}, "impactScore": 5.9, "exploitabilityScore": 1.8}], "cvssMetricV40": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "cvssData": {"Safety": "NOT_DEFINED", "version": "4.0", "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED", "baseScore": 8.5, "Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED", "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X", "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED", "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED", "userInteraction": "NONE", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "NONE", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED", "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "HIGH", "availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED", "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED"}}]}, "affected": [{"source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "affectedData": [{"vendor": "Hotspotshield", "product": "Hotspot Shield", "versions": [{"status": "affected", "version": "6.0.3"}]}]}], "published": "2026-04-04T14:16:18.757", "references": [{"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40528", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}, {"url": "https://www.hotspotshield.com", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}, {"url": "https://www.hotspotshield.com/download/", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}, {"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/hotspot-shield-unquoted-service-path-privilege-escalation", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}], "vulnStatus": "Deferred", "weaknesses": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-428"}]}], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "Hotspot Shield 6.0.3 contains an unquoted service path vulnerability in the hshld service binary that allows local attackers to escalate privileges by injecting malicious executables. Attackers can place executable files in the service path and upon service restart or system reboot, the malicious code executes with LocalSystem privileges."}, {"lang": "es", "value": "Hotspot Shield 6.0.3 contiene una vulnerabilidad de ruta de servicio sin comillas en el binario del servicio hshld que permite a atacantes locales escalar privilegios mediante la inyecci\u00f3n de ejecutables maliciosos. Los atacantes pueden colocar archivos ejecutables en la ruta del servicio y al reiniciar el servicio o el sistema, el c\u00f3digo malicioso se ejecuta con privilegios de LocalSystem."}], "lastModified": "2026-07-20T20:10:00.110", "sourceIdentifier": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}