CVE-2019-3636 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

McAfee Total Protection (MTP) version 16.0.R21 and earlier for Windows client contained a vulnerability known as File Masquerade. This vulnerability allowed attackers to access the Windows registry, read the list of AV-Scan exclusion files in plain text, and potentially replace these files with malware without detection.

Understanding CVE-2019-3636

This CVE involves a File Masquerade vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection, impacting versions 16.0.R21 and earlier.

What is CVE-2019-3636?

The vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection allowed unauthorized access to the Windows registry, enabling attackers to manipulate AV-Scan exclusion files, potentially leading to malware infiltration.

The Impact of CVE-2019-3636

The vulnerability had a high severity level, with significant impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-3636

This section provides detailed technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The File Masquerade vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection version 16.0.R21 and earlier allowed attackers to read and modify AV-Scan exclusion files, posing a serious security risk.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: McAfee Total Protection
Vendor: McAfee, LCC
Vulnerable Version: 16.0.R21 and earlier

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: High
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Scope: Changed
Availability Impact: High
Confidentiality Impact: High
Integrity Impact: High

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-3636 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update McAfee Total Protection to version 16.0.R22 or higher to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor system registry changes and file integrity to detect unauthorized modifications.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update antivirus software and security patches to prevent future vulnerabilities.
Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit registry access.

Patching and Updates

McAfee released a patch in version 16.0.R22 to address the File Masquerade vulnerability.