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Elements Endpoint Protection CVE-2024-4454

HIGH
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access (CWE-59)
2024-05-22 zdi-disclosures@trendmicro.com
7.8
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
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Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling Symlink resolution safety
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 0.4% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

WithSecure Elements Endpoint Protection Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. 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

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Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-59. WithSecure Elements Endpoint Protection Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of WithSecure Elements Endpoint Protection. User interaction on the part of an administrator is required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the WithSecure plugin hosting service. By creating a symbolic link, an attacker can abuse the service to create a file. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-23035. Affected products include: Withsecure Client Security, Withsecure Elements Endpoint Protection, Withsecure Email And Server Security, Withsecure Server Security.

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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

WithSecure Elements Endpoint Protection Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of WithSecure Elements Endpoint Protection. User interaction on the part of an administrator is required to exploit this vulnerability.

The specific flaw exists within the WithSecure plugin hosting service. By creating a symbolic link, an attacker can abuse the service to create a file. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-23035.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.4%
Top 67% 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 0.4%
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

Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.

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:withsecure:client_security:15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:withsecure:elements_endpoint_protection:17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:withsecure:email_and_server_security:15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:withsecure:server_security:15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
CVE-2023-47172 HIGH
7.8 Nov 20

Certain WithSecure products allow Local Privilege Escalation. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low

CVE-2023-43766 HIGH
7.8 Sep 22

Certain WithSecure products allow Local privilege escalation via the lhz archive unpack handler. Rated high severity (CV

CVE-2023-49322 HIGH
7.5 Nov 27

Certain WithSecure products allow a Denial of Service because there is an unpack handler crash that can lead to a scanni

CVE-2023-47264 HIGH
7.5 Nov 16

Certain WithSecure products have a buffer over-read whereby processing certain fuzz file types may cause a denial of ser

CVE-2023-47263 HIGH
7.5 Nov 16

Certain WithSecure products allow a Denial of Service (DoS) in the antivirus engine when scanning a fuzzed PE32 file. Ra

CVE-2023-43767 HIGH
7.5 Sep 22

Certain WithSecure products allow Denial of Service via the aepack archive unpack handler. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5

CVE-2023-43765 HIGH
7.5 Sep 22

Certain WithSecure products allow Denial of Service in the aeelf component. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnera

CVE-2023-43761 HIGH
7.5 Sep 22

Certain WithSecure products allow Denial of Service (infinite loop). Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability

CVE-2023-43760 HIGH
7.5 Sep 22

Certain WithSecure products allow Denial of Service via a fuzzed PE32 file. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnera

CVE-2023-42525 HIGH
7.5 Sep 18

Certain WithSecure products allow an infinite loop in a scanning engine via unspecified file types. Rated high severity

CVE-2023-42524 HIGH
7.5 Sep 18

Certain WithSecure products allow an infinite loop in a scanning engine via unspecified file types. Rated high severity

CVE-2023-42523 HIGH
7.5 Sep 18

Certain WithSecure products allow a remote crash of a scanning engine via unpacking of a PE file. Rated high severity (C

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