CVE-2024-32849

SYSTEM code execution via coreServiceShell link following

Published Jun 10, 2024 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Link-following privilege escalation in Trend Micro Maximum Security before 17.7 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM. The coreServiceShell service follows an attacker-created symbolic link when deleting a file, redirecting its privileged deletion to an attacker-chosen path. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution on Windows and grants SYSTEM-level file deletion and arbitrary code execution.

CVSS severity7.8
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

Link-following privilege escalation in Trend Micro Maximum Security before 17.7 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM. The coreServiceShell service follows an attacker-created symbolic link when deleting a file, redirecting its privileged deletion to an attacker-chosen path. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution on Windows and grants SYSTEM-level file deletion and arbitrary code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-32849
Published
Jun 10, 2024
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Trend Micro
Product
Trend Micro Maximum Security
Classifications
CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 10, 2024CVE 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=17.0 <17.7
  2. Affected versionversion=17 <17.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Trend Micro · Trend Micro Maximum Securityversion=17.0 <17.7; version=17 <17.7

Published CVSS scores

7.8Trend MicroCVSS: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
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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