CVE-2020-10861 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
CVE-2020-10861 relates to a vulnerability in Avast Antivirus allowing attackers to delete files from the program path via RPC. Learn about the impact, affected versions, and mitigation steps.
An issue was discovered in Avast Antivirus before version 20, allowing attackers to achieve Arbitrary File Deletion from Avast Program Path via RPC when Self Defense is Enabled.
Understanding CVE-2020-10861
What is CVE-2020-10861?
This CVE refers to a vulnerability in Avast Antivirus that enables attackers to delete files from the Avast Program Path using the aswTask RPC endpoint.
The Impact of CVE-2020-10861
The vulnerability allows attackers to delete files from the Avast Program Path, potentially leading to system instability and data loss.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-10861
Vulnerability Description
The issue lies in the Avast Service (AvastSvc.exe) TaskEx library's aswTask RPC endpoint, which can be exploited for Arbitrary File Deletion.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Affected: Avast Antivirus versions before 20
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit the vulnerability via RPC when Self Defense is Enabled in the Avast Service.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update Avast Antivirus to the latest version to patch the vulnerability
- Disable Self Defense feature temporarily if necessary
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update antivirus software and enable automatic updates
- Implement network segmentation to contain potential attacks
Patching and Updates
Apply patches and updates provided by Avast to address the vulnerability.