SYSTEM code execution via link-following file deletion
Published Feb 15, 2024 · Updated Dec 10, 2025
Link-following privilege escalation in ESET Windows security products allows local users to delete arbitrary files as SYSTEM. The ESET Service follows an attacker-controlled NTFS junction during real-time protection file handling, redirecting its privileged deletion to a chosen path. Low-privileged code execution is required; deleting a protected file such as C:\Config.Msi enables arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.
Summary
What happened
Link-following privilege escalation in ESET Windows security products allows local users to delete arbitrary files as SYSTEM. The ESET Service follows an attacker-controlled NTFS junction during real-time protection file handling, redirecting its privileged deletion to a chosen path. Low-privileged code execution is required; deleting a protected file such as C:\Config.Msi enables arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-0353
- Published
- Feb 15, 2024
- Updated
- Dec 10, 2025
- Vendor
- ESET
- Product
- ESET Smart Security Premium
- Classifications
- CWE-269, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 15, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Dec 10, 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=0 <=16.2.15.0
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
- Breaking Barriers and Assumptions Part 2 demonstrationfunctional · demonstrated
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