# CVE-2018-12244: Other in Symantec Endpoint Protection (Mac Client)

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code via CSV/DDE injection in Symantec Endpoint Protection Mac Client by exploiting formula injection vulnerabilities.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Apr 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h2ph-whqx-fccc

## What is CVE-2018-12244?

CVE-2018-12244 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Symantec Endpoint Protection, published on 25 Apr 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

SEP (Mac client) prior to and including 12.1 RU6 MP9 and prior to 14.2 RU1 may be susceptible to a CSV/DDE injection (also known as formula injection) vulnerability, which is a type of issue whereby an application or website allows untrusted input into CSV files.

Weakness: CWE-1236 (Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-12244?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Symantec Endpoint Protection.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-12244?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-12244 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-12244 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-12244 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2018-12244 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-12244 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Symantec Endpoint Protection, published on 25 Apr 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-12244 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2018-12244/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12244/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-12244
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-12244
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-12244

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12244/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.