CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-8501NVD status: Awaiting Analysis

PC Tools Internet Security: Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-8501 is a high-severity exposed IOCTL with insufficient access control vulnerability in PC Tools Internet Security from Symantec, 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 0.16% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of PC Tools Internet Security you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
SymantecPC Tools Internet SecurityNot specified in the recordNot 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 CISA (ADP).

Official description

Improper access control in the PCTCore64.sys Windows kernel driver from PC Tools Internet Security allows user-mode processes to access the PCTCoreDriver WDM device interface and invoke privileged IOCTL handlers. A local attacker with the ability to access or load the affected driver can exploit this vulnerability to perform sensitive and privileged operations on the target system.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control

The product implements an IOCTL with functionality that should be restricted, but it does not properly enforce access control for the IOCTL.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • In Windows environments, use proper access control for the associated device or device namespace. See References.

More Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control vulnerabilities (CWE-782)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control vulnerabilities

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