Symantec pcAnywhere 10.0/10.5/11.0 Help Interface awhost32.exe privileges management

CVSS Meta Temp Score
CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.
Current Exploit Price (≈)
Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.
CTI Interest Score
Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
7.5$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Symantec pcAnywhere 10.0/10.5/11.0 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file awhost32.exe of the component Help Interface. The manipulation results in privileges management. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2003-0936. The attack is only possible with local access. There is not any exploit available. It is advisable to implement a patch to correct this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Symantec pcAnywhere 10.0/10.5/11.0. Affected is an unknown code of the file awhost32.exe of the component Help Interface. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a privileges management vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-269. The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Symantec PCAnywhere 10.x and 11, when started as a service, allows attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges via the help interface using AWHOST32.exe.

The weakness was released 11/12/2003 by KF with Security Network Operations security team (Website). The advisory is shared for download at sarc.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2003-0936 since 11/10/2003. The attack needs to be approached locally. A authentication is needed for exploitation. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1068.

The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 38240 (Symantec PCAnywhere Privilege Escalation Vulnerability).

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (13755), SecurityFocus (BID 9045†), OSVDB (2812†), Secunia (SA10222†) and Vulnerability Center (SBV-4438†). Further details are available at securityfocus.com. Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.8
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.5

VulDB Base Score: 7.8
VulDB Temp Score: 7.5
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Privileges management
CWE: CWE-269 / CWE-266
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

0-DayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
TodayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Patch
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

11/10/2003 🔍
11/12/2003 +2 days 🔍
11/13/2003 +1 days 🔍
11/13/2003 +0 days 🔍
11/14/2003 +1 days 🔍
11/17/2003 +2 days 🔍
12/15/2003 +28 days 🔍
06/09/2004 +177 days 🔍
07/20/2025 +7711 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: symantec.com

Advisory: sarc.com
Researcher: KF
Organization: Security Network Operations security team
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2003-0936 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2003-0936
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-396
X-Force: 13755
SecurityFocus: 9045 - Symantec PCAnywhere Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Secunia: 10222 - Symantec pcAnywhere Privilege Escalation Vulnerability, Less Critical
OSVDB: 2812 - Symantec pcAnywhere Privilege Escalation
Vulnerability Center: 4438 - Symantec PCAnywhere 10.x and 11 Allow Attackers to Gain SYSTEM Privilege, Low

Misc.: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 11/17/2003 10:36
Updated: 07/20/2025 03:18
Changes: 11/17/2003 10:36 (73), 04/07/2017 17:54 (6), 07/20/2025 03:18 (19)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216:E88:103

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Discussion

No comments yet. Languages: en.

Please log in to comment.

◂ PreviousOverviewNext ▸

Want to stay up to date on a daily basis?

Enable the mail alert feature now!