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Total Protection CVE-2022-43751

HIGH
Uncontrolled Search Path Element (CWE-427)
2022-11-23 cve@mitre.org
7.8
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A08:2025 - Software or Data Integrity Failures
ASVS 5.0
V13 - Configuration Search path element control
Impact

CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH). Attack characteristics: local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

Successful exploitation could compromise the high-severity affected system.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
No patch listed yet 0.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

McAfee Total Protection prior to version 16.0.49 contains an uncontrolled search path element vulnerability due to the use of a variable pointing to a subdirectory that may be controllable by an. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.

RemediationAI

No vendor patch is available at time of analysis. Monitor vendor advisories for updates. Apply vendor patches when available. Implement network segmentation and monitoring as interim mitigations.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-427. McAfee Total Protection prior to version 16.0.49 contains an uncontrolled search path element vulnerability due to the use of a variable pointing to a subdirectory that may be controllable by an unprivileged user. This may have allowed the unprivileged user to execute arbitrary code with system privileges. Affected products include: Mcafee Total Protection. Version information: version 16.0.49.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 7.8 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionNVD

McAfee Total Protection prior to version 16.0.49 contains an uncontrolled search path element vulnerability due to the use of a variable pointing to a subdirectory that may be controllable by an unprivileged user. This may have allowed the unprivileged user to execute arbitrary code with system privileges.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 88% exploitable
Data Quality
2 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.2%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Defer
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

39
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +39
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:a:mcafee:total_protection:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
CVE-2020-7330 HIGH
8.8 Oct 14

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) trial prior to 4.0.176.1 allows local users to sched

CVE-2020-7283 HIGH
8.8 Jul 03

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) before 16.0.R26 allows local users to create and edi

CVE-2020-7298 HIGH
8.4 Aug 05

Unexpected behavior violation in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to 16.0.R26 allows local users to turn off real tim

CVE-2021-23877 HIGH
7.8 Oct 26

Privilege escalation vulnerability in the Windows trial installer of McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to 16.0.34_x ma

CVE-2021-23891 HIGH
7.8 May 12

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to 16.0.32 allows a local user to gain elevate

CVE-2021-23872 HIGH
7.8 May 12

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in the File Lock component of McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to 16.0.32 allows a

CVE-2021-23876 HIGH
7.8 Feb 10

Bypass Remote Procedure call in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to 16.0.30 allows a local user to gain elevated priv

CVE-2021-23874 HIGH
7.8 Feb 10

Arbitrary Process Execution vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to 16.0.30 allows a local user to gain

CVE-2020-7335 HIGH
7.8 Dec 01

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in Microsoft Windows client McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to 16.0.29 allows loc

CVE-2019-3636 HIGH
7.8 Oct 28

A File Masquerade vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) version 16.0.R21 and earlier in Windows client allowed

CVE-2019-3593 HIGH
7.1 Jan 28

Exploitation of Privilege/Trust vulnerability in Microsoft Windows client in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) Prior to 16.0

CVE-2020-7310 MEDIUM
6.9 Aug 21

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in the installer in McAfee McAfee Total Protection (MTP) trial prior to 4.0.161.1 all

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