CVE-2020-7266

Protected-file deletion via symbolic-link redirection

Published May 8, 2020 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Privilege escalation in McAfee VirusScan Enterprise for Windows before 8.8 Patch 14 Hotfix 116778 allows local users to delete protected files. A malicious local script manipulates symbolic links so a privileged McAfee delete action follows the link and removes an unintended file. Local code execution is required; arbitrary file deletion can compromise system integrity or interrupt services whose files are removed.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in McAfee VirusScan Enterprise for Windows before 8.8 Patch 14 Hotfix 116778 allows local users to delete protected files. A malicious local script manipulates symbolic links so a privileged McAfee delete action follows the link and removes an unintended file. Local code execution is required; arbitrary file deletion can compromise system integrity or interrupt services whose files are removed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-7266
Published
May 8, 2020
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
McAfee
Product
McAfee VirusScan Enterprise
Classifications
CWE-274, CWE-269, T1485
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 8, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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=8.8.x <8.8 Patch 14 Hotfix 116778

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

McAfee · McAfee VirusScan Enterpriseversion=8.8.x <8.8 Patch 14 Hotfix 116778

Published CVSS scores

8.4NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H
3.6NISTAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P
8.8TrellixCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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-274Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges
CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1485Data Destruction

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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