CVE-2022-0166 json
Privilege escalation vulnerability in McAfee Agent
published 2022-01-19 4 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2022-15374
- cvss
- 7.8
- version 3.1, CNA
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 2.9%
- EPSS 2.9% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 87%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
A privilege escalation vulnerability in the McAfee Agent prior to 5.7.5. McAfee Agent uses openssl.cnf during the build process to specify the OPENSSLDIR variable as a subdirectory within the installation directory. A low privilege user could have created subdirectories and executed arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges by creating the appropriate pathway to the specifically created malicious openssl.cnf file.
Patch / fix
- McAfee,LLC McAfee Agent for Windows 5.7.5
Exploit prediction
2.94% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 87% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 3.1 | 7.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVD | 3.1 | 7.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVD | 2.0 | 7.2 | AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C |
Affected products
- McAfee,LLC McAfee Agent for Windows
Classification
- Weakness
-
- CWE-427 Uncontrolled Search Path Element
References
- kc.mcafee.com /corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10378
-
kb.cert.org
/vuls/id/287178
third-party-advisory
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2022-0166
- NVD CVE-2022-0166
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