SYSTEM code execution via junction-following folder deletion
Published Dec 22, 2022 · Updated Apr 15, 2025
Link following in Trend Micro Apex One 14.0 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges through the Damage Cleanup Engine. The Trend Micro Common Client Real-time Scan Service follows an attacker-created junction when the engine deletes a folder, redirecting that privileged deletion. Low-privileged code execution on an affected Windows endpoint is required, after which the flaw enables arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.
Summary
What happened
Link following in Trend Micro Apex One 14.0 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges through the Damage Cleanup Engine. The Trend Micro Common Client Real-time Scan Service follows an attacker-created junction when the engine deletes a folder, redirecting that privileged deletion. Low-privileged code execution on an affected Windows endpoint is required, after which the flaw enables arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-45798
- Published
- Dec 22, 2022
- Updated
- Apr 15, 2025
- Vendor
- Trend Micro
- Product
- Trend Micro Apex One
- Classifications
- CWE-59, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 22, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 15, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=On Premise (14.0) <14.0.0.11136
- Affected versionversion=SaaS (14.0) <14.0.11840
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo