In Valve Steam Client for Windows through 2019-08-07, HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Valve\Steam has explicit "Full control" for the Users group,
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 26/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.61% (FIRST EPSS).
- Physical access to the device is required. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- According to the record, no fixed version is available yet.
Low priority for now. Update when a fix is released; follow the vendor's advisory.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
In Valve Steam Client for Windows through 2019-08-07, HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Valve\Steam has explicit "Full control" for the Users group, which allows local users to gain NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM access.
- Published
- Aug 7, 2019
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.6% · 48th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-732
Report tools
Action score
26
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 26 / 40 · 6.6 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.6%
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- No fixed version yet
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| valvesoftware | steam client | cpe:2.3:a:valvesoftware:steam_client |
| microsoft | windows | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- valvesoftware steam clientup to 2019-08-07 inclusive
Same product
valvesoftware: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2021-30481Valve Steam before 2021-04-17, when a Source engine game is installed, allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code because o37Monitor
- CVE-2020-15530An issue was discovered in Valve Steam Client 2.10.91.91.31Monitor
- CVE-2019-17180Valve Steam Client before 2019-09-12 allows placing or appending partially controlled filesystem content, as demonstrated by file modificati31Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2015-7985Nov 24, 2015 · Valve Steam 2.10.91.91 uses weak permissions (Users: read and write) for the Install folder, which allows local users to gain privileges via28Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2018-12270May 20, 2019 · In Valve Steam 1528829181 BETA, it is possible to perform a homograph / homoglyph attack to create fake URLs in the client, which may trick 21Monitor
- Later →CVE-2019-15315Aug 21, 2019 · Valve Steam Client for Windows through 2019-08-16 allows privilege escalation (to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM) because local users can replace the c31Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
The product’s vendor appears in a public program. Matched by name; verify the scope text in the program.
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Physical access to the device is required.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Physical
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-732 · Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical ResourceCVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:P/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Accessing Functionality Not Properly Constrained by ACLsCAPEC-1likelihood: High · High
- Privilege AbuseCAPEC-122likelihood: High · Medium
- Directory IndexingCAPEC-127likelihood: High · Medium
- Using Malicious FilesCAPEC-17likelihood: High · Very High
- Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security LevelsCAPEC-180likelihood: High · Medium
- Signing Malicious CodeCAPEC-206Very High
- Hijacking a privileged processCAPEC-234Medium
- Reusing Session IDs (aka Session Replay)CAPEC-60likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
- File and Directory DiscoveryT1083
- Access Token Manipulation:Token Impersonation/TheftT1134.001
- Server Software Component: Terminal Services DLLT1505.005
- Abuse Elevation Control MechanismT1548
- Use Alternate Authentication Material:Web Session CookieT1550.004
- Subvert Trust Controls:Code SigningT1553.002
- Compromise Client Software BinaryT1554
- Hijack Execution Flow:Executable Installer File Permissions WeaknessT1574.005
- Hijack Execution Flow: ServicesFile Permissions WeaknessT1574.010
Change log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.