CVE-2020-37230 Download CVE debrief

Who should care

Administrators and defenders responsible for Syncplify.me Server! installations, especially Windows systems running version 5.0.37 or any deployment using the affected SMWebRestServicev5 service path.

Technical summary

The issue is categorized as CWE-428 (unquoted service path). In this class of weakness, Windows may resolve a service binary path incorrectly when the path contains spaces and is not quoted, allowing execution of an attacker-controlled executable from an earlier path component. The supplied description indicates the service runs with LocalSystem privileges, so successful abuse can yield elevated code execution during service start or system reboot.

Defensive priority

High

Recommended defensive actions

• Verify whether Syncplify.me Server! 5.0.37 is installed on any Windows hosts.
• Inspect the SMWebRestServicev5 service configuration and confirm that the binary path is correctly quoted.
• Apply vendor guidance or an updated build if one is available from the product vendor.
• Restrict local write permissions on directories that could be searched before the intended service binary path.
• Audit for unexpected executables placed near the service path and review service-start events for anomalies.
• If remediation cannot be immediate, reduce exposure by limiting local interactive access on affected hosts.

Evidence notes

The CVE description and supplied NVD record both identify an unquoted service path issue affecting Syncplify.me Server! 5.0.37, with local privilege escalation to LocalSystem on restart or reboot. The source corpus also includes a VulnCheck advisory reference and a product download URL, but no additional technical claims are used beyond the supplied record metadata.

Official resources