CVE-2024-7227

SYSTEM code execution via service link following

Published Nov 22, 2024 · Updated Nov 25, 2024

Local privilege escalation in Avast Free Antivirus 23.9.6082 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. AvastSvc follows an attacker-created symbolic link while performing a privileged file deletion, causing the service to delete an attacker-selected file. Exploitation requires prior low-privileged code execution on the Windows host; successful abuse converts that foothold into SYSTEM-level execution.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.35%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in Avast Free Antivirus 23.9.6082 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. AvastSvc follows an attacker-created symbolic link while performing a privileged file deletion, causing the service to delete an attacker-selected file. Exploitation requires prior low-privileged code execution on the Windows host; successful abuse converts that foothold into SYSTEM-level execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-7227
Published
Nov 22, 2024
Updated
Nov 25, 2024
Vendor
Avast
Product
Avast Free Antivirus
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 22, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 25, 2024Record 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=23.9.6082

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Avast · Avast Free Antivirusversion=23.9.6082

Published CVSS scores

7.8Trend Micro Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/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 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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
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

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