# CVE-2016-4534: Security feature bypass in n/a

> Local administrators can bypass self-protection rules in McAfee VirusScan Enterprise by closing registry handles to unlock the console.

- **Severity:** Low 3.0 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 May 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h9qj-3623-mvm2

## What is CVE-2016-4534?

CVE-2016-4534 is a low-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows, published on 5 May 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The McAfee VirusScan Console (mcconsol.exe) in McAfee VirusScan Enterprise 8.8.0 before Hotfix 1123565 (8.8.0.1546) on Windows allows local administrators to bypass intended self-protection rules and unlock the console window by closing registry handles.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-4534?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Mcafee Virusscan Enterprise, Microsoft Windows.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-4534?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-4534 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-4534 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4534 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- McAfee VirusScan Enterprise 8.8 - Security Restrictions Bypass (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows

- [CVE-2009-5118](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-5118/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2020-7266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7266/): Privilege Escalation vulnerability through symbolic links in VSE for Windows (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-7267](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7267/): Privilege Escalation vulnerability through symbolic links in VSEL (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2016-8023](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8023/): Auth bypass in VirusScan Enterprise Linux (VSEL) (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2016-8024](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8024/): Other in VirusScan Enterprise Linux (VSEL) (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-4534 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-4534 is a low-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows, published on 5 May 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4534 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4534/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4534/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4534
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4534
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-4534

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4534/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.