Valve Source allows local users to gain privileges by writing to the /tmp/hl2_relaunch file, which is later executed in the context of a di…

published 2020-04-27 6 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2020-4557

cvss: 7.8; version 3.1, NVD
cisa kev: Not listed; not in CISA's catalog
epss: 1.1%; EPSS 1.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 65%
public exploits: 1; Exploit-DB

Valve Source allows local users to gain privileges by writing to the /tmp/hl2_relaunch file, which is later executed in the context of a different user account.

Timeline

2020-04-27 First public exploit (EDB-48387)
2020-04-27 Published

Exploit prediction

1.09% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 65% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

Exploits and checks

EDB-48387 Source Engine CS:GO BuildID: 4937372 - Arbitrary Code Execution local, 2020-04-27
0xem.ma https://0xem.ma/cve/2020/04/28/Source-hl2-relaunch-exec.html referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
NVD	3.1	7.8	CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD	2.0	7.2	AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Classification

Weakness

CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command

References

0xem.ma /cve/2020/04/28/Source-hl2-relaunch-exec.html
exploit, third-party-advisory

Sources

CVE List CVE-2020-12242
NVD CVE-2020-12242

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

Summary