CVE-2021-23876 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability has been identified in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) that allows a local user to gain elevated privileges and potentially cause Denial of Service by bypassing Remote Procedure call. This CVE, with a CVSS base score of 7.8, poses a high severity risk.

Understanding CVE-2021-23876

This section delves into the specifics of the vulnerability, its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2021-23876?

The vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to version 16.0.30 enables a local user to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary file modifications, potentially leading to Denial of Service. The flaw arises from improper privilege management (CWE-269).

The Impact of CVE-2021-23876

With a CVSS base score of 7.8, the vulnerability has a high severity classification. An attacker can leverage this issue to gain elevated privileges, manipulate files, and disrupt system services, posing a significant risk to system integrity, confidentiality, and availability.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-23876

This section outlines the vulnerability description, affected systems, versions, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows a local user to elevate privileges and execute malicious activities, potentially leading to a Denial of Service condition.

Affected Systems and Versions

The issue impacts McAfee Total Protection (MTP) versions prior to 16.0.30 running on the Windows platform.

Exploitation Mechanism

By executing carefully crafted malware, a local user can exploit the flaw to escalate privileges and modify files as the SYSTEM user.

Mitigation and Prevention

Here we discuss immediate steps to take and long-term security practices to enhance system security.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update McAfee Total Protection (MTP) to version 16.0.30 or later to address this vulnerability. Additionally, monitoring for any suspicious system behavior is recommended.

Long-Term Security Practices

Practicing the principle of least privilege, regularly updating security software, and conducting security audits can help mitigate the risk of privilege escalation vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Regularly applying security patches and updates from McAfee can help protect systems from known vulnerabilities and security threats.