# CVE-2016-6591: Security feature bypass in Norton App Lock

> A local attacker can bypass security restrictions in Norton App Lock when application pinning is enabled, allowing unauthorized access to protected features.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Jan 2020
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xm35-85mm-9382

## What is CVE-2016-6591?

CVE-2016-6591 is a high-severity vulnerability in Symantec Norton App Lock, published on 8 Jan 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A security bypass vulnerability exists in Symantec Norton App Lock 1.0.3.186 and earlier if application pinning is enabled, which could let a local malicious user bypass security restrictions.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-6591?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Symantec Norton App Lock.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-6591?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-6591 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-6591 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-6591 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Symantec Norton App Lock

- [CVE-2017-15534](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15534/): Auth bypass in Norton App Lock (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2018-18363](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-18363/): Security feature bypass in Norton App Lock (medium 6.2)
- [CVE-2018-5239](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5239/): Security feature bypass in Norton App Lock (medium 6.2)
- [CVE-2018-5242](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5242/): Security feature bypass in Norton App Lock (medium 6.2)
- [CVE-2019-18373](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-18373/): Security feature bypass in Norton AppLock (medium 5.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-6591 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-6591 is a high-severity vulnerability in Symantec Norton App Lock, published on 8 Jan 2020. 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-2016-6591 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Symantec Norton App Lock. 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-2016-6591/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6591/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-6591
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-6591
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-6591

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6591/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.