CVE-2022-40710

SYSTEM code execution via symbolic-link file deletion

Published Sep 28, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Link-following in Trend Micro Deep Security Agent 20 before 20.0.0.5394 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges on Windows. The Anti-Malware Solution Platform follows an attacker-created symbolic link during a privileged file-deletion operation, causing the service to delete an attacker-selected file. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution and user interaction on the host; successful abuse enables arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.

CVSS severity4.6
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

Link-following in Trend Micro Deep Security Agent 20 before 20.0.0.5394 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges on Windows. The Anti-Malware Solution Platform follows an attacker-created symbolic link during a privileged file-deletion operation, causing the service to delete an attacker-selected file. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution and user interaction on the host; successful abuse enables arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-40710
Published
Sep 28, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Trend Micro
Product
Trend Micro Deep Security
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 28, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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=20.0 <20.0.0.5394

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Trend Micro · Trend Micro Deep Securityversion=20.0 <20.0.0.5394

Published CVSS scores

4.6Trend MicroCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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