CVE-2020-15838
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe Agent Update System in ConnectWise Automate before 2020.8 allows Privilege Escalation because the _LTUPDATE folder has weak permissions.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe Agent Update System in ConnectWise Automate versions prior to 2020.8 stores files in the _LTUPDATE folder with weak permissions, allowing unprivileged users to modify update files and potentially escalate privileges by replacing legitimate agent update binaries with malicious ones.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 2020.8CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Verify ConnectWise Automate is installedCheck for the ConnectWise Automate installation directory, typically found in Program Files or Program Files (x86). Look for folders named 'Automate' or 'LabTech' (the older product name).Affected if ConnectWise Automate is not present on the system, then this CVE does not apply.
-
Determine the installed version of ConnectWise AutomateLocate the Automate installation directory and check for version information in the program files, registry, or an 'About' file within the application directory. Common locations include the main executable or a version info file.Affected if The installed version is earlier than 2020.8, meaning it falls within the affected range of versions prior to 2020.8.
-
Locate the _LTUPDATE folderNavigate to the ConnectWise Automate installation directory and look for a folder named '_LTUPDATE' or similar update-related folder. This folder stores agent update files.Affected if The _LTUPDATE folder exists within the Automate installation directory.
-
Check permissions on the _LTUPDATE folderRight-click the _LTUPDATE folder, go to Properties, then the Security tab. Review which users and groups have Write or Modify permissions on this folder.Affected if Unprivileged users (non-administrators) have Write or Modify permissions to the _LTUPDATE folder, allowing them to modify update files.
The system is affected if ConnectWise Automate is installed with a version prior to 2020.8 AND the _LTUPDATE folder grants write or modify permissions to unprivileged users, allowing potential modification of agent update files.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor data2020.8
Upgrade to ConnectWise Automate 202.8 or later, or restrict permissions on the _LTUPDATE folder to prevent unprivileged modification.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation3.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,512.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-15838 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-15838 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data