# CVE-2018-15452: Cisco Advanced Malware Protection for Endpoints on Windows DLL Preloading Vulnerability

> An authenticated local attacker with admin privileges can disable Cisco AMP scanning services via DLL preloading, bypassing endpoint protection.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:** 13 Nov 2018
- **Updated:** 26 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j3cp-9wr8-vpp5

## What is CVE-2018-15452?

CVE-2018-15452 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco AMP for Endpoints, published on 13 Nov 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the DLL loading component of Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) for Endpoints on Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to disable system scanning services or take other actions to prevent detection of unauthorized intrusions. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have administrative credentials on the Windows system. The vulnerability is due to the improper validation of resources loaded by a system process at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious DLL file and placing it in a specific location on the targeted system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to disable the targeted system's scanning services and ultimately prevent the system from being protected from further intrusion. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-15452?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Advanced Malware Protection for Endpoints.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-15452?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-15452 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-15452 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-15452 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco AMP for Endpoints

- [CVE-2021-1280](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1280/): Cisco Advanced Malware Protection for Endpoints and Immunet for Windows DLL Hijacking Vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-1386](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1386/): Path traversal in Cisco AMP for Endpoints (high 7.0)
- [CVE-2019-1932](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1932/): Cisco Advanced Malware Protection for Endpoints Windows Command Injection Vulnerability (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2017-12312](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12312/): Path traversal in Cisco Immunet Antimalware Installer (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2020-3314](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3314/): Cisco AMP for Endpoints Mac Connector Software File Scan Denial of Service Vulnerability (medium 6.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-15452 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-15452 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco AMP for Endpoints, published on 13 Nov 2018. 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-2018-15452 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco AMP for Endpoints. 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-2018-15452/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15452/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-15452
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-15452
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-15452

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15452/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.