CVE-2024-8424

SYSTEM code execution via symbolic-link file deletion

Published Nov 7, 2024 · Updated Aug 7, 2026

Improper privilege management in affected WatchGuard endpoint products on Windows allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM. The Application Host Service follows an attacker-created symbolic link when deleting a file, so PSANHost.exe deletes an attacker-selected target with SYSTEM rights. Low-privileged code execution is required; deletion of a protected file enables local privilege escalation and arbitrary SYSTEM code execution.

CVSS severity8.5
High
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper privilege management in affected WatchGuard endpoint products on Windows allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM. The Application Host Service follows an attacker-created symbolic link when deleting a file, so PSANHost.exe deletes an attacker-selected target with SYSTEM rights. Low-privileged code execution is required; deletion of a protected file enables local privilege escalation and arbitrary SYSTEM code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-8424
Published
Nov 7, 2024
Updated
Aug 7, 2026
Vendor
WatchGuard Technologies
Product
Panda Adaptive Defense 360
Classifications
CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 7, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 7, 2026Record 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 <8.00.23.0000

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

WatchGuard Technologies · Panda Adaptive Defense 360version=0 <8.00.23.0000
WatchGuard Technologies · WatchGuard Endpoint Securityversion=8.00.00.0000 <8.00.23.0000
WatchGuard Technologies · Panda Domeversion=0 <22.03.00; version=22.00.00 <22.03.00
WatchGuard Technologies · WatchGuard Endpoint Security 360version=0 <8.00.23.0000

Published CVSS scores

8.5WatchGuard TechnologiesCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
7.8WatchGuard TechnologiesCVSS: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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