CVE-2020-7251

Protection disablement via legacy configuration tool

Published Feb 14, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper access control in McAfee Endpoint Security 10.6.x before the February 2020 update allows local users to disable protections. An older ESConfigTool executable can modify configuration belonging to a newer ENS installation because the tool-version boundary is not enforced. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and user interaction, after which endpoint security features can be turned off without authorization.

CVSS severity5.0
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in McAfee Endpoint Security 10.6.x before the February 2020 update allows local users to disable protections. An older ESConfigTool executable can modify configuration belonging to a newer ENS installation because the tool-version boundary is not enforced. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and user interaction, after which endpoint security features can be turned off without authorization.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-7251
Published
Feb 14, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
McAfee
Product
McAfee Endpoint Security
Classifications
CWE-358, CWE-863, T1562.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 14, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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=10.6.x <10.6.1 February 2020 update

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

McAfee · McAfee Endpoint Securityversion=10.6.x <10.6.1 February 2020 update

Published CVSS scores

5.0TrellixCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N
2.1NISTAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
5.5NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-358Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard
CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
T1562.001Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools

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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