CVE-2024-7231

SYSTEM code execution via symbolic-link file deletion

Published Nov 22, 2024 · Updated Nov 25, 2024

Link-following in Avast Cleanup Premium 23.4 (build 15592) allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM through file deletion. The Avast Cleanup Service follows an attacker-created symbolic link when deleting a file, causing its privileged deletion to target an attacker-selected path. Low-privileged code execution on the Windows host is required, and successful abuse escalates that local access to SYSTEM.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.34%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Link-following in Avast Cleanup Premium 23.4 (build 15592) allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM through file deletion. The Avast Cleanup Service follows an attacker-created symbolic link when deleting a file, causing its privileged deletion to target an attacker-selected path. Low-privileged code execution on the Windows host is required, and successful abuse escalates that local access to SYSTEM.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-7231
Published
Nov 22, 2024
Updated
Nov 25, 2024
Vendor
Avast
Product
Avast Cleanup Premium
Classifications
CWE-59, CAPEC-132, 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

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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=23.4 (build 15592)

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Avast · Avast Cleanup Premiumversion=23.4 (build 15592)
Avast · Avast Cleanupversion=23.4

Published CVSS scores

7.8Zero 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 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-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CAPEC-132Symlink Attack
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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