# CVE-2017-6331: Security feature bypass in Symantec Endpoint Protection

> Attackers can bypass real-time protection in Symantec Endpoint Protection, allowing malicious applications to run undetected on servers and clients.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 6 Nov 2017
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p32x-gx9p-8798

## What is CVE-2017-6331?

CVE-2017-6331 is a high-severity vulnerability in Symantec Endpoint Protection, published on 6 Nov 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Prior to SEP 14 RU1 Symantec Endpoint Protection product can encounter an issue of Tamper-Protection Bypass, which is a type of attack that bypasses the real time protection for the application that is run on servers and clients.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-6331?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Symantec Endpoint Protection.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-6331?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-6331 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-6331 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2017-6331 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 - Tamper-Protection Bypass (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Symantec Endpoint Protection

- [CVE-2012-0295](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-0295/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2018-5237](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5237/): Privilege escalation in Symantec Endpoint Protection (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-5836](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5836/): Privilege escalation in Symantec Endpoint Protection (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2020-5837](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5837/): Path traversal in Symantec Endpoint Protection (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2020-5820](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5820/): Privilege escalation in Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) and Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition (SEP SBE) (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-6331 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-6331 is a high-severity vulnerability in Symantec Endpoint Protection, published on 6 Nov 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2017-6331 exists.

Affected product: Symantec Endpoint Protection. 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-2017-6331/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6331/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-6331
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-6331
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-6331

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6331/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.