Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessCraft malformed PDF targeting parser
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DeliveryDeliver file via email or download
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ExploitAvira engine auto-scans file
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ExecutionTrigger heap out-of-bounds read
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PersistExecute code in privileged scanner process
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ImpactDisable AV or persist on host
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Bounds checking, read limits
MITRE ATT&CK
1 technique across 1 tactic: Collection The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Avira Antivirus engine build before 8.3.70.68 must be installed and actively scanning files - specifically, the PDF parser within the engine must process the malformed document, which in default deployments happens automatically via on-access scanning, scheduled scans, or manual right-click scans. The attacker needs a way to land the crafted PDF where the engine will read it (email attachment, web download, file share, removable media) but does not need credentials on the target host (PR:N). Exploitation is LIMITED by the CVSS UI:R requirement (the scanner must be triggered to read the file) and by AV:L (the file must reach local storage or a locally accessible path); pure network-borne exploitation without the file touching disk is not in scope. The bug affects Windows, macOS, and Linux builds equally since the engine is shared across platforms. |
| Impact | Signals are mixed and lean medium-priority rather than emergency. The CVSS 3.1 vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H is consistent with a file-scanning bug: the engine reaches the malicious PDF locally, no attacker authentication is needed, but user/automation interaction (placing the file where it gets scanned) is required. No EPSS, KEV, or SSVC data was provided in the input, and no public exploit identified at time of analysis, so there is no evidence of active exploitation or weaponization. The vendor's classification as an OOB read normally yields info-disclosure, yet the advisory text explicitly claims local code execution - a stronger outcome that should be treated cautiously until a vendor write-up or PoC details emerge. Anti-virus engines historically have a poor track record (similar bugs in Defender, ClamAV, Sophos have been exploitable), so realistic risk is non-trivial for any environment running an unpatched Avira engine on multi-tenant systems where untrusted users can drop files. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker emails or drops a malformed PDF onto a system protected by an unpatched Avira engine (e.g., a download into a monitored folder, a USB stick auto-scanned on insert, or an email attachment scanned on receipt). When Avira's on-access scanner parses the PDF, the heap out-of-bounds read either crashes the engine (disabling AV protection) or, per the vendor's stated impact, enables local code execution in the privileged scanner process. No public exploit identified at time of analysis. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Jun 12, 2026
Local code execution and denial-of-service in Avira Antivirus engine builds before 8.3.70.68 allow an attacker to compromise the scanning engine by placing a malformed PDF where the engine will scan it on Windows, macOS, or Linux. The flaw is a heap out-of-bounds read (CWE-125) triggered during PDF parsing, and no public exploit identified at time of analysis. CVSS is 7.8 (high) driven by full C/I/A impact on the local host, but exploitation requires user/scanner interaction with the malicious file.
RemediationAI
Update the Avira Antivirus scanning engine to build 8.3.70.68 or later, which the vendor identifies as the fix line - Patch available per vendor advisory at https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/contact-us/security-advisories/. Engine updates are normally delivered automatically through Avira's update channel, so verify that auto-update is enabled and force a manual definition/engine update; on managed endpoints confirm the engine build (not just the product version) reports 8.3.70.68+. If patching is delayed, compensating controls include disabling on-access scanning of PDFs (trade-off: reduces malware detection coverage for the most common phishing payload), routing inbound PDFs through a separate sandbox or upstream gateway scanner instead of Avira, and restricting which users can drop files into directories monitored by the on-access scanner - none of these are a substitute for the engine update and each materially weakens AV coverage while in place.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
The defect lives inside the Avira Antivirus scanning engine - a cross-platform on-access/scheduled scanner that auto-parses untrusted file formats (here, PDF) to detect malware. CWE-125 (out-of-bounds read) in a heap region of the PDF parser means a crafted document with corrupted length fields, malformed object streams, or invalid cross-reference tables causes the parser to read past an allocated buffer. The CPE cpe:2.3:a:gen_digital:avira_antivirus:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* indicates Gen Digital (the post-NortonLifeLock entity that owns Avira) ships a single engine codebase across Windows, macOS, and Linux, so the underlying parsing bug is platform-agnostic and the engine process runs with elevated privileges (SYSTEM/root) for on-access scanning, which is why an OOB read in a security product is rated for local code execution rather than just an information leak.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
File must reach local scan path (AV:L); no auth needed (PR:N) but scanner must process the file (UI:R); engine runs privileged, so successful LCE yields full C/I/A.
Primary rating from Vendor (GEN).
CVSS VectorVendor: GEN
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Heap buffer out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Avira Antivirus engine when scanning a malformed PDF file may allow Local Execution of Code or Denial-of-Service of the antivirus engine process.
This issue affects Avira Antivirus on Windows, macOS, and Linux for engine builds before 8.3.70.68.
Executive ViewAI
Avira Antivirus versions before 8.3.70.68 contain a critical scanning engine vulnerability enabling local code execution or denial-of-service when processing malformed PDF files. Organizations running vulnerable Avira builds face elevated risk of endpoint compromise if employees or automated scanners encounter crafted PDFs; complete system compromise is possible. With no patch currently available, interim protective measures must be implemented immediately.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations: (1) Disable real-time PDF scanning if operationally feasible; restrict Avira to on-demand scans of known-safe sources; (2) Reduce Avira process file-system access scope via AppArmor/SELinux policies; (3) Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) with alerting on antivirus engine crashes or unexpected system-level file access; (4) Implement user awareness training to discourage opening PDF files from external sources; (5) Maintain a breakglass plan to immediately isolate endpoints if scanning engine compromise is detected.
Threat Intelligence Overview
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.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.
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