CVE-2024-6978Public exploit

Root certificate installation via unvalidated IPC command

Published Jul 31, 2024 · Updated Jul 31, 2024

Improper validation in Cato Networks Cato Client before 5.10.34 allows local users to install arbitrary trusted root certificates. The privileged winvpnclient.cli.exe service accepts a protobuf SendManageCertificate request over the cato-VPN named pipe and passes its untrusted path to certutil running as SYSTEM. Any low-privileged endpoint account can add a machine-wide trust anchor, enabling forged TLS certificates to support traffic interception or malicious code signing.

CVSS severity5.6
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper validation in Cato Networks Cato Client before 5.10.34 allows local users to install arbitrary trusted root certificates. The privileged winvpnclient.cli.exe service accepts a protobuf SendManageCertificate request over the cato-VPN named pipe and passes its untrusted path to certutil running as SYSTEM. Any low-privileged endpoint account can add a machine-wide trust anchor, enabling forged TLS certificates to support traffic interception or malicious code signing.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-6978
Published
Jul 31, 2024
Updated
Jul 31, 2024
Vendor
Cato Networks
Product
Cato Client
Classifications
CWE-20, CAPEC-248, T1553.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 31, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jul 31, 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=0 <5.10.34

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Cato Networks · Cato Clientversion=0 <5.10.34

Published CVSS scores

5.6Cato NetworksCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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.

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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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
CAPEC-248Command Injection
T1553.004Subvert Trust Controls: Install Root Certificate

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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