# CVE-2019-16784: Local Privilege Escalation in PyInstaller

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2019-16784-local-privilege-escalation-in-pyinstaller  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2020-01-14  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2019-16784 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.1 · Published 2020-01-14

In PyInstaller before version 3.6, only on Windows, a local privilege escalation vulnerability is present in this particular case: If a software using PyInstaller in "onefile" mode is launched by a privileged user (at least more than the current one) which have his "TempPath" resolving to a world writable directory. This is the case for example if the software is launched as a service or as a scheduled task using a system account (TempPath will be C:\Windows\Temp). In order to be exploitable the software has to be (re)started after the attacker launch the exploit program, so for a service launched at startup, a service restart is needed (e.g. after a crash or an upgrade).

Technologies: [pyinstaller (PyPI)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/pyinstaller). Vendors: [PyPI](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/pypi).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2019-16784 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2019-16784 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2019-16784?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.1, published 14 January 2020.

**Which products and versions are affected?** pyinstaller (PyPI) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=3.6.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2019-16784?** Yes. pyinstaller (PyPI): upgrade to 3.6 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**Am I affected by CVE-2019-16784?** Check whether you run pyinstaller (PyPI) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- pyinstaller (PyPI): upgrade to 3.6 or later

  ```sh
  pip install "pyinstaller>=3.6"
  ```


## Affected products

- pyinstaller (PyPI) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=3.6

## Identifiers

- CVE-2019-16784
- GHSA-7fcj-pq9j-wh2r
- PYSEC-2020-175

## Related threats

- [PYSEC-2026-1813 - PyInstaller has local privilege escalation vulnerability](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-59042-pyinstaller-has-local-privilege-escalation-vulnerability)
- [Local Privilege Escalation in Windows](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2023-49797-local-privilege-escalation-in-windows)
- [PYSEC-2020-194 - In PyInstaller before version 3.6, only on Windows, a local privilege escalation vulnerability is…](https://junglewise.ai/threats/pysec-2020-194-in-pyinstaller-before-version-3-6-only-on-windows-a-2e4087da)