CVE-2023-1491Public exploit

Protected-file overwrite via unrestricted driver copy

Published Mar 18, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Improper access control in Max Secure Anti Virus Plus 19.0.2.1 allows local users to copy arbitrary files through a driver IOCTL. The MaxCryptMon.sys handler for IOCTL 0x220020 accepts a caller-supplied copy operation without enforcing access control on the requested source and destination. Any local low-privileged user who can reach the driver can overwrite protected files; the published demonstration replaces cmd.exe with calc.exe.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.30%
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 Max Secure Anti Virus Plus 19.0.2.1 allows local users to copy arbitrary files through a driver IOCTL. The MaxCryptMon.sys handler for IOCTL 0x220020 accepts a caller-supplied copy operation without enforcing access control on the requested source and destination. Any local low-privileged user who can reach the driver can overwrite protected files; the published demonstration replaces cmd.exe with calc.exe.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-1491
Published
Mar 18, 2023
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Max Secure Software
Product
Max Secure Anti Virus Plus
Classifications
CWE-284
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 18, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 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=19.0.2.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Max Secure Software · Max Secure Anti Virus Plusversion=19.0.2.1

Published CVSS scores

4.4VulDBCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
3.2VulDBAV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/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.

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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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-284Improper Access Control

Public exploit references

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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