CVE-2020-8961 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

An issue was discovered in Avira Free-Antivirus before 15.0.2004.1825 where the Self-Protection feature can be bypassed, allowing code injection to disable the feature and compromise the anti-virus functionality.

Understanding CVE-2020-8961

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in Avira Free-Antivirus that could be exploited to disable critical security features.

What is CVE-2020-8961?

The vulnerability in Avira Free-Antivirus allows an external process to perform a write operation, enabling code injection to disable the Self-Protection feature. This can lead to the compromise of the anti-virus functionality.

The Impact of CVE-2020-8961

The exploitation of this vulnerability can result in the bypassing of critical security measures, potentially allowing malicious actors to manipulate the anti-virus software and compromise the system's protection.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-8961

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue in Avira Free-Antivirus before version 15.0.2004.1825 allows external processes to perform write operations, enabling code injection to disable the Self-Protection feature.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Avira Free-Antivirus
Versions affected: Before 15.0.2004.1825

Exploitation Mechanism

Malicious actors can inject code to disable the Self-Protection feature, compromising the anti-virus functionality.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-8961 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Avira Free-Antivirus to version 15.0.2004.1825 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor system activity for any signs of unauthorized write operations.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strict process controls to prevent unauthorized code execution.
Regularly update and patch security software to address known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security audits to identify and address potential weaknesses.
Educate users on safe computing practices to minimize the risk of exploitation.
Employ intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious activities.

Patching and Updates

Avira has released version 15.0.2004.1825 to address this vulnerability. Ensure all systems are updated to the latest version to prevent exploitation.