CVE-2020-1988
Global Protect Agent: Local privilege escalation due to an unquoted search path vulnerability
An unquoted search path vulnerability in the Windows release of Global Protect Agent allows an authenticated local user with file creation privileges on the root of the OS disk (C:) or to Program Files directory to gain system privileges. This issue affects Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect Agent 5.0 versions before 5.0.5; 4.1 versions before 4.1.13 on Windows;
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Global Protect Agent: Local privilege escalation due to an unquoted search path vulnerability
An unquoted search path vulnerability in the Windows release of Global Protect Agent allows an authenticated local user with file creation privileges on the root of the OS disk (C:) or to Program Files directory to gain system privileges. This issue affects Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect Agent 5.0 versions before 5.0.5; 4.1 versions before 4.1.13 on Windows;
- Record
CVE-2020-1988- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-428
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-12778
An unquoted search path vulnerability in the Windows release of Global Protect Agent allows an authenticated local user with file creation privileges on the root of the OS disk (C:) or to Program Files directory to gain system privileges. This issue affects Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect Agent 5.0 versions before 5.0.5; 4.1 versions before 4.1.13 on Windows;
- Record
EUVD-2020-12778- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-hp8g-87f8-285m No score
An unquoted search path vulnerability in the Windows release of Global Protect Agent allows an...
An unquoted search path vulnerability in the Windows release of Global Protect Agent allows an authenticated local user with file creation privileges on the root of the OS disk (C:) or to Program Files directory to gain system privileges. This issue affects Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect Agent 5.0 versions before 5.0.5; 4.1 versions before 4.1.13 on Windows;
- Record
GHSA-hp8g-87f8-285m- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
An unquoted search path vulnerability in the Windows release of Global Protect Agent allows an authenticated local user with file creation privileges on the root of the OS disk (C:) or to Program Files directory to gain system privileges. This issue affects Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect Agent 5.0 versions before 5.0.5; 4.1 versions before 4.1.13 on Windows;
- Record
CVE-2020-1988- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - CVSS 3.1
- 6.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.2 High
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-428
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| facts | ||
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2020-1988 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.2) in Palo Alto Networks Global Protect Agent, published April 8, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.37%, the 31st percentile. No source names a fixed version.