📄 Description (English)
NETGATE Registry Cleaner build 16.0.205 contains an unquoted service path vulnerability in the NGRegClnSrv service that allows local attackers to escalate privileges by exploiting the service binary path. Attackers can place a malicious executable in the unquoted path and trigger service restart or system reboot to execute code with LocalSystem privileges.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2016-20057 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in NETGATE Registry Cleaner v16.0.205 affecting the NGRegClnSrv service through an unquoted service path. Attackers with local access can place malicious executables in the service path to achieve LocalSystem privileges upon service restart or system reboot. With no patch available and moderate exploit complexity, this poses a significant risk to organizations using this utility on critical systems.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 26, 2026 22:50
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability primarily impacts Saudi government agencies, financial institutions, and enterprise organizations using NETGATE Registry Cleaner on Windows systems. Government entities under NCA oversight and banking sector organizations under SAMA supervision are at risk if this utility is deployed on administrative or critical infrastructure systems. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for organizations managing sensitive data or operating critical services, as local attackers (including disgruntled employees or compromised user accounts) can escalate to system-level privileges. Healthcare organizations and energy sector entities using this tool on operational technology systems face elevated risk.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government
Banking and Financial Services
Healthcare
Energy and Utilities
Telecommunications
Enterprise IT
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
6.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
Immediate Actions:
1. Inventory all systems running NETGATE Registry Cleaner v16.0.205 and document their criticality level
2. Restrict local access to affected systems through Group Policy and access controls
3. Disable or uninstall NETGATE Registry Cleaner if not essential to operations
4. Monitor for suspicious file creation in service paths (C:\Program Files\, C:\Windows\, etc.)
Compensating Controls:
1. Implement Application Whitelisting (AppLocker/Windows Defender Application Control) to prevent unauthorized executable execution
2. Enable Windows Event Logging for service start/stop events (Event ID 7034, 7035, 7036)
3. Configure File Integrity Monitoring on service binary paths
4. Restrict local administrator privileges using Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions
5. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect privilege escalation attempts
Detection Rules:
1. Monitor for file creation in unquoted service paths with suspicious names
2. Alert on NGRegClnSrv service restarts or system reboots initiated by non-administrative users
3. Track process execution with parent process NGRegClnSrv.exe
4. Monitor registry modifications to service configuration (HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NGRegClnSrv)
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. قم بحصر جميع الأنظمة التي تقوم بتشغيل NETGATE Registry Cleaner الإصدار 16.0.205 وتوثيق مستوى أهميتها
2. قيد الوصول المحلي للأنظمة المتأثرة من خلال Group Policy وعناصر التحكم في الوصول
3. عطل أو أزل NETGATE Registry Cleaner إذا لم تكن ضرورية للعمليات
4. راقب إنشاء الملفات المريبة في مسارات الخدمة (C:\Program Files\, C:\Windows\, إلخ)
عناصر التحكم التعويضية:
1. تطبيق القائمة البيضاء للتطبيقات (AppLocker/Windows Defender Application Control) لمنع تنفيذ الملفات التنفيذية غير المصرح بها
2. تفعيل تسجيل أحداث Windows لأحداث بدء/إيقاف الخدمة (معرف الحدث 7034, 7035, 7036)
3. تكوين مراقبة سلامة الملفات على مسارات الملفات الثنائية للخدمة
4. تقييد امتيازات المسؤول المحلي باستخدام حلول إدارة الوصول المميز (PAM)
5. تطبيق حلول الكشف والاستجابة على نقطة النهاية (EDR) للكشف عن محاولات تصعيد الامتيازات
قواعد الكشف:
1. راقب إنشاء الملفات في مسارات الخدمة غير المحاطة بعلامات اقتباس بأسماء مريبة
2. تنبيه عند إعادة تشغيل خدمة NGRegClnSrv أو إعادة تشغيل النظام التي يبدأها مستخدمون غير إداريين
3. تتبع تنفيذ العملية مع عملية الوالد NGRegClnSrv.exe
4. راقب تعديلات السجل لتكوين الخدمة (HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NGRegClnSrv)
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
A.5.1.1 - Information security policies and procedures
A.6.1.1 - Authorization of information processing facilities
A.6.2.1 - User registration and de-registration
A.9.2.1 - User access management
A.9.4.3 - Password management
A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
🔵 SAMA CSF
ID.AM-2 - Software platforms and applications are inventoried
PR.AC-1 - Identities and credentials are issued and managed
PR.AC-4 - Access rights are managed
DE.CM-8 - Vulnerability scans are performed
RS.MI-2 - Incidents are mitigated
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.5.1.1 - Policies for information security
A.6.1.1 - Information security roles and responsibilities
A.6.2.1 - Information security coordination
A.8.1.1 - Screening
A.9.2.1 - User registration and de-registration
A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
🔗 References & Sources 4
🔗
🔗
🔗
🔗
http://www.netgate.sk/
disclosure@vulncheck.com
http://www.netgate.sk/download/download.php?id=4
disclosure@vulncheck.com
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40539
disclosure@vulncheck.com
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/netgate-registry-cleaner-build-unquoted-service-pa...
disclosure@vulncheck.com