CVE-2020-16202
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 · uneditedWebAccess Node (All versions prior to 9.0.1) has incorrect permissions set for resources used by specific services, which may allow code execution with system privileges.
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 · moderate confidenceWebAccess Node versions prior to 9.0.1 have incorrect file/system permissions configured on resources used by specific Windows services, which can be exploited by local attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated SYSTEM privileges through the misconfigured service resources.
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< 9.0.1CVSS 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
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/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.
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Identify WebAccess Node installation and versionCheck the installed version of Advantech WebAccess Node on the system. This can typically be done through Windows Add/Remove Programs, or by checking the program's installation directory for version information.Affected if The installed version is found to be less than 9.0.1 (for example, 9.0.0, 8.x, or earlier versions).
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Locate WebAccess Node Windows servicesOpen Windows Services console (services.msc) and identify any services related to WebAccess, WebAccess Node, or Advantech. Note the executable paths associated with these services.Affected if WebAccess Node services are found running on the system, particularly services that execute from paths under the WebAccess Node installation directory.
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Examine permissions on service executable filesRight-click on each WebAccess Node service executable file, select Properties, then go to the Security tab. Review the permissions (Read, Write, Execute) granted to different users and groups.Affected if Users other than Administrators or SYSTEM have Write or Modify permissions on the service executable files, or permissions allow unauthorized access.
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Check permissions on service configuration filesExamine configuration files in the WebAccess Node installation directory that are used by the Windows services. Check file permissions through Properties > Security.Affected if Configuration files used by WebAccess Node services have overly permissive access controls that allow standard users to modify service settings or parameters.
The environment is affected if WebAccess Node version is below 9.0.1 AND the WebAccess Node Windows services have permissive file/system permissions that allow non-privileged users to modify service executables or configurations.
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 data9.0.1
Upgrade WebAccess Node to version 9.0.1 or later which contains the corrected permission configurations for affected service resources.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,648.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-16202 — 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-2020-16202 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
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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
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