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TI-2020-05873 Aliases CVE-2020-7266GHSA-v42h-cjgv-79ww

Privilege Escalation vulnerability through symbolic links in VSE for Windows

Priority LOW 38CWE-274Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Privilege escalation
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-269.

Summary

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in McAfee VirusScan Enterprise (VSE) for Windows prior to 8.8 Patch 14 Hotfix 116778 allows local users to delete files the user would otherwise not have access to via manipulating symbolic links to redirect a McAfee delete action to an unintended file. This is achieved through running a malicious script or program on the target machine.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00259 17th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed McAfee VirusScan Enterprise (VSE) for Windows (McAfee,LLC): 8.8 Patch 14 Hotfix 116778

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
McAfeeMcAfee VirusScan Enterprise (VSE) for Windows8.8.x to before 8.8 Patch 14 Hotfix 1167788.8 Patch 14 Hotfix 116778Patch availableCNA
  • McAfee VirusScan Enterprise (VSE) for Windows VendorMcAfee Affected 8.8.x to before 8.8 Patch 14 Hotfix 116778 Fixed in 8.8 Patch 14 Hotfix 116778 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:mcafee:virusscan_enterprise:*:*:*:*:*:linux:*:*1.9.0 to before 1.9.2; 2.0.0 to before 2.0.3VulnerableMcAfee
  • cpe:2.3:a:mcafee:virusscan_enterprise:*:*:*:*:*:linux:*:* Versions 1.9.0 to before 1.9.2; 2.0.0 to before 2.0.3 Vulnerable ·McAfee

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA McAfee VirusScan Enterprise (VSE) for Windows (McAfee,LLC) Fixed in 8.8 Patch 14 Hotfix 116778

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-7266
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-v42h-cjgv-79ww

References

Other 1

  • TI-2016-06740 Improper authentication in Intel VirusScan Enterprise Linux CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.5
  • TI-2016-06738 Code injection in Intel VirusScan Enterprise Linux CVSS 3.0HIGH 8.0
  • TI-2016-06742 HTTP response splitting in Intel VirusScan Enterprise Linux CVSS 3.0HIGH 8.1
  • TI-2016-06741 Improper authentication in Intel VirusScan Enterprise Linux CVSS 3.0HIGH 8.1
  • TI-2009-04865 Untrusted search path vulnerability in McAfee VirusScan Enterprise before 8.7i allows… CVSS 2.0HIGH 9.3
  • TI-2007-02073 Buffer overflow in the On-Access Scanner in McAfee VirusScan Enterprise before 8.0i Patch… CVSS 2.0HIGH 7.9
See all 28 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences