Symantec pcAnywhere up to 12.5 CHF File pathname format string

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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4.8$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Symantec pcAnywhere up to 12.5. Affected is an unknown function of the component CHF File Handler. The manipulation of the argument pathname leads to format string. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2009-0538. An attack has to be approached locally. There is no exploit available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Symantec pcAnywhere up to 12.5. This issue affects some unknown functionality of the component CHF File Handler. The manipulation of the argument pathname with an unknown input leads to a format string vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-134. The product uses a function that accepts a format string as an argument, but the format string originates from an external source. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

Format string vulnerability in Symantec pcAnywhere before 12.5 SP1 allows local users to read and modify arbitrary memory locations, and cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact, via format string specifiers in the pathname of a remote control file (aka .CHF file).

The weakness was shared 03/18/2009 by Deral Heiland with Layered Defense as SYM09-003 as confirmed advisory (Website). The advisory is shared at securityresponse.symantec.com. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2009-0538 since 02/12/2009. The exploitation is known to be easy. An attack has to be approached locally. A simple authentication is required for exploitation. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 35976 (Symantec pcAnywhere CHF File Pathname Format String Denial of Service), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Windows. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 116298 (Symantec pcAnywhere Format String Denial of Service Vulnerability).

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published even before and not after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (49291), Tenable (35976), SecurityFocus (BID 33845†), OSVDB (52797†) and Secunia (SA34305†). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.8

VulDB Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Temp Score: 4.8
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
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Exploitinginfo

Class: Format string
CWE: CWE-134 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔍
Status: Proof-of-Concept

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 35976
Nessus Name: Symantec pcAnywhere CHF File Pathname Format String Denial of Service
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 63621
OpenVAS Name: Ubuntu USN-735-1 (gst-plugins-base0.10)
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

02/12/2009 🔍
03/17/2009 +33 days 🔍
03/17/2009 +0 days 🔍
03/17/2009 +0 days 🔍
03/18/2009 +1 days 🔍
03/18/2009 +0 days 🔍
03/18/2009 +0 days 🔍
03/18/2009 +0 days 🔍
03/18/2009 +0 days 🔍
03/20/2009 +1 days 🔍
03/23/2009 +3 days 🔍
03/17/2015 +2185 days 🔍
05/11/2025 +3708 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: symantec.com

Advisory: SYM09-003
Researcher: Deral Heiland
Organization: Layered Defense
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2009-0538 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2009-0538
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-47189
X-Force: 49291
SecurityFocus: 33845 - Symantec pcAnywhere Local Format String Vulnerability
Secunia: 34305 - Symantec pcAnywhere Format String Vulnerability, Not Critical
OSVDB: 52797 - Symantec pcAnywhere CHF File Pathname Handling Format String
SecurityTracker: 1021855 - Symantec pcAnywhere Format String Flaw Lets Local Users Deny Service
Vulnerability Center: 21367 - Symantec pcAnywhere \x3C 12.5 SP1 Local Format String Vulnerability, Low
Vupen: ADV-2009-0755

Entryinfo

Created: 03/17/2015 23:38
Updated: 05/11/2025 06:34
Changes: 03/17/2015 23:38 (80), 04/07/2017 18:10 (7), 08/09/2021 07:27 (2), 08/09/2021 07:33 (1), 05/11/2025 06:34 (16)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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