CVE-2016-20093 in Care
Summary
by MITRE • 06/19/2026
Wise Care 365 4.27 and Wise Disk Cleaner 9.29 contain unquoted service path vulnerabilities in the WiseBootAssistant and SpyHunter 4 Service respectively, allowing local users to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. Attackers can insert malicious executables in the system root path that execute during service startup or system reboot with elevated privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2026
The vulnerability identified in Wise Care 365 version 4.27 and Wise Disk Cleaner 9.29 represents a critical security flaw that exploits improper service path configuration within Windows operating systems. These applications contain unquoted service paths in their respective components WiseBootAssistant and SpyHunter 4 Service, creating a privilege escalation vector that allows local attackers to execute malicious code with SYSTEM level privileges. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-428 which addresses the improper handling of unquoted service paths, a well-documented weakness that has been consistently exploited in enterprise environments. The flaw occurs when Windows attempts to resolve service executable paths that contain spaces but lack proper quotation marks, allowing the system to search through directory paths and potentially execute unintended binaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the Windows service configuration where service executables are specified without proper quotation marks around paths containing spaces. When the system attempts to start these services, it follows a specific search order that includes the root directory and subsequent subdirectories. Attackers can leverage this behavior by placing malicious executables in directories that are searched before the legitimate service binaries, effectively hijacking the service execution flow. The WiseBootAssistant and SpyHunter 4 Service components are particularly vulnerable because their installation paths contain spaces and lack proper quoting, creating predictable attack vectors that can be exploited during system boot processes or service startups. This mechanism aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1035 which describes service execution through legitimate system processes and services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with persistent access to compromised systems with the highest available privileges. Local users who can create files in system directories can place malicious executables that will execute with SYSTEM privileges during service startup or system reboot cycles. This persistent threat model allows attackers to maintain long-term access while avoiding detection mechanisms that might monitor user-level activities. The vulnerability creates a backdoor that remains active until the system is rebooted or the service configuration is manually corrected, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where systems may run for extended periods without restarts. The attack surface is further expanded because these applications are commonly installed on user workstations, providing attackers with multiple potential entry points into networked environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from system administrators and security teams to address the root cause through proper service path configuration. The primary remediation involves ensuring all service paths are properly quoted during installation and configuration processes, preventing Windows from performing the dangerous path resolution behavior. System administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of installed services to identify all unquoted paths and correct them through registry modifications or reinstallation processes. Security controls should include regular monitoring of service configurations and implementation of automated tools to detect and alert on unquoted service paths within the system. Additionally, organizations should implement the principle of least privilege by ensuring that only authorized personnel have the ability to modify service configurations and system directories. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of application security reviews and proper installation practices, as outlined in industry standards such as the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard and NIST SP 800-53 controls for secure system configuration management.