ESET NOD32 Antivirus: Improper Privilege Management
CVE-2023-3160 is a high-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in ESET NOD32 Antivirus from ESET, spol. s r.o., with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.18% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of ESET NOD32 Antivirus you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on support.eset.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESET, spol. s r.o. | ESET NOD32 Antivirus | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| ESET, spol. s r.o. | ESET Internet Security | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| ESET, spol. s r.o. | ESET Smart Security Premium | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| ESET, spol. s r.o. | ESET Endpoint Antivirus | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| ESET, spol. s r.o. | ESET Endpoint Security | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| ESET, spol. s r.o. | ESET Server Security for Windows Server (File Security) | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| ESET, spol. s r.o. | ESET Mail Security for Microsoft Exchange Server | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| ESET, spol. s r.o. | ESET Mail Security for IBM Domino | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| ESET, spol. s r.o. | ESET Security for Microsoft SharePoint Server | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Eset | Endpoint Antivirus | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Eset | Endpoint Security | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Eset | Internet Security | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Eset | Mail Security | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Eset | Nod32 | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Eset | Security | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Eset | Server Security | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| Eset | Smart Security | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CNA (eset.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
The vulnerability potentially allows an attacker to misuse ESET’s file operations during the module update to delete or move files without having proper permissions.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Privilege Management
The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
- Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
- Consider following the principle of separation of privilege. Require multiple conditions to be met before permitting access to a system resource.
More Improper Privilege Management vulnerabilities (CWE-269)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other vulnerabilities in ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- 8.4 High severity
- 8.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.6 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
Recent Improper Privilege Management vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.0 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.