How severe is CVE-2020-18174?

CVE-2020-18174 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-18174 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (67th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-18174?

CVE-2020-18174 affects Autohotkey. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-18174?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2020-18174 published?

CVE-2020-18174 was published on 2021-07-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-18174

CVE-2020-18174 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Autohotkey with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (67th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Autohotkey
Published: 2021-07-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A process injection vulnerability in setup.exe of AutoHotkey 1.1.32.00 allows attackers to escalate privileges.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-18174?: A process injection vulnerability in setup.exe of AutoHotkey 1.1.32.00 allows attackers to escalate privileges.
How severe is CVE-2020-18174?: CVE-2020-18174 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-18174 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (67th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-18174?: CVE-2020-18174 affects Autohotkey. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-18174?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2020-18174 published?: CVE-2020-18174 was published on 2021-07-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://github.com/GitHubAssessments/CVE_Assessments_02_2020

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:autohotkey:autohotkey:1.1.32.00:*:*:*:*:*:*:*