CVE-2016-6592

Code execution via relative DLL loading

Published Jan 14, 2020 · Updated Aug 6, 2024

DLL search-path hijacking in Symantec Norton Download Manager before 5.6 allows remote attackers to execute code through a planted DLL. During process startup, the executable omits an absolute path for required DLLs, causing default DLL search logic to load an attacker-supplied file. The attacker must first place the crafted DLL on the system, and the target user must run the normally run-once downloader; code executes with that process's privileges.

CVSS severity4.6
Medium
EPSS probability0.96%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

DLL search-path hijacking in Symantec Norton Download Manager before 5.6 allows remote attackers to execute code through a planted DLL. During process startup, the executable omits an absolute path for required DLLs, causing default DLL search logic to load an attacker-supplied file. The attacker must first place the crafted DLL on the system, and the target user must run the normally run-once downloader; code executes with that process's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2016-6592
Published
Jan 14, 2020
Updated
Aug 6, 2024
Vendor
Symantec
Product
Norton Download Manager
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 6, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=2016

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Symantec · Norton Download Managerversion=2016

Published CVSS scores

4.6Gen Digital (Symantec)CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8JPCERT/CCCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.8JPCERT/CCAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1574.001Hijack Execution Flow: DLL

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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