CVE-2020-7253 in McAfee
Summary
by MITRE
Improper access control vulnerability in masvc.exe in McAfee Agent (MA) prior to 5.6.4 allows local users with administrator privileges to disable self-protection via a McAfee supplied command-line utility.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-7253 represents a critical access control flaw within McAfee Agent version 5.6.4 and earlier releases. This issue specifically affects the masvc.exe component which serves as the core service executable for McAfee Agent operations. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of administrative privileges during critical system protection operations, creating a scenario where local users with administrator rights can manipulate the security mechanisms of the endpoint protection platform. The flaw exists in the command-line utility interface that McAfee provides for managing agent configurations, particularly targeting the self-protection features that are fundamental to preventing unauthorized modifications to the security agent itself.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a privilege escalation path through which authenticated local administrators can execute specific commands that disable the self-protection mechanisms of the McAfee Agent. This typically occurs through the masvc.exe utility which accepts command-line parameters that, when properly crafted, can bypass normal access controls. The underlying flaw lies in the insufficient privilege checking within the masvc.exe executable, which fails to properly validate that only authorized administrative entities can modify critical protection settings. This design weakness aligns with CWE-284 which describes improper access control vulnerabilities where insufficient checks are performed to verify that the requesting entity has appropriate authorization levels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and effectiveness of endpoint protection. When self-protection mechanisms are disabled, the McAfee Agent becomes vulnerable to tampering by malicious actors who might exploit this weakness to bypass security controls, modify protection settings, or even uninstall the agent entirely. This creates a significant risk in enterprise environments where McAfee Agent is used as a primary security control, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistent access while evading detection mechanisms. The vulnerability essentially creates a backdoor that allows local administrators to effectively disable the very protections they are supposed to maintain.
Organizations utilizing McAfee Agent versions prior to 5.6.4 face substantial risk exposure from this vulnerability, particularly in environments where administrative privileges are not strictly controlled or where insider threats exist. The attack surface is expanded because any user with local administrator privileges can exploit this weakness, making it particularly dangerous in shared computing environments or when administrative accounts are compromised. From an attack methodology perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation and defense evasion, as attackers can disable security controls and modify system configurations without detection. The vulnerability also impacts the principle of least privilege by allowing users to circumvent built-in protection mechanisms that are designed to prevent exactly this type of unauthorized modification.
The recommended mitigations for CVE-2020-7253 include immediate deployment of McAfee Agent version 5.6.4 or later, which contains the necessary access control patches. Organizations should also implement strict administrative privilege controls, including limiting local administrator access to only essential users and systems. Additional security measures such as monitoring for unauthorized execution of masvc.exe commands, implementing application control policies, and conducting regular security assessments can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and monitoring of command-line execution can provide additional layers of defense against potential exploitation of this vulnerability. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper privilege validation checks within the masvc.exe utility and ensuring that only authorized administrative entities can modify critical protection settings.