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Antivirus CVE-2024-7237

HIGH
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access (CWE-59)
2024-11-22 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, low privileges required, no user interaction not 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 0.3% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

AVG AntiVirus Free AVGSvc Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is 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. AVG AntiVirus Free AVGSvc Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of AVG AntiVirus Free. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the AVG Service. By creating a symbolic link, an attacker can abuse the service to delete a folder. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-22960. Affected products include: Avg Antivirus.

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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:L/UI:N/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
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionNVD

AVG AntiVirus Free AVGSvc Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of AVG AntiVirus Free. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.

The specific flaw exists within the AVG Service. By creating a symbolic link, an attacker can abuse the service to delete a folder. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-22960.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.3%
Top 74% 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 0.3%
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:avg:antivirus:23.12.8700.813:-:*:*:free:*:*:*
CVE-2012-1461 MEDIUM
4.3 Mar 21

The Gzip file parser in AVG Anti-Virus 10.0.0.1190, Bitdefender 7.2, Command Antivirus 5.2.11.5, Emsisoft Anti-Malware 5

CVE-2012-1459 MEDIUM
4.3 Mar 21

The TAR file parser in AhnLab V3 Internet Security 2011.01.18.00, Avira AntiVir 7.11.1.163, Antiy Labs AVL SDK 2.0.3.7,

CVE-2012-1457 MEDIUM
4.3 Mar 21

The TAR file parser in Avira AntiVir 7.11.1.163, Antiy Labs AVL SDK 2.0.3.7, avast!. Rated medium severity (CVSS 4.3), t

CVE-2012-1443 MEDIUM
4.3 Mar 21

The RAR file parser in ClamAV 0.96.4, Rising Antivirus 22.83.00.03, Quick Heal (aka Cat QuickHeal) 11.00, G Data AntiVir

CVE-2017-8307 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Apr 27

In Avast Antivirus before v17, using the LPC interface API exposed by the AvastSVC.exe Windows service, it is possible t

CVE-2017-17701 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Dec 15

K7Sentry.sys 15.1.0.59 in K7 Antivirus 15.1.0309 has a NULL pointer dereference via a 0x950025c8 DeviceIoControl request

CVE-2017-17700 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Dec 15

K7Sentry.sys 15.1.0.59 in K7 Antivirus 15.1.0309 has a NULL pointer dereference via a 0x950025a4 DeviceIoControl request

CVE-2017-17699 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Dec 15

K7Sentry.sys 15.1.0.59 in K7 Antivirus 15.1.0309 has a NULL pointer dereference via a 0x950025ac DeviceIoControl request

CVE-2017-17465 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Dec 08

K7Sentry.sys 15.1.0.59 in K7 Antivirus 15.1.0309 has a NULL pointer dereference via a 0x95002574 DeviceIoControl request

CVE-2017-17464 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Dec 08

K7Sentry.sys 15.1.0.59 in K7 Antivirus 15.1.0309 has a NULL pointer dereference via a 0x95002570 DeviceIoControl request

CVE-2020-10867 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Apr 01

An issue was discovered in Avast Antivirus before 20. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely

CVE-2021-45337 HIGH POC
8.8 Dec 27

Privilege escalation vulnerability in the Self-Defense driver of Avast Antivirus prior to 20.8 allows a local user with

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