# CVE-2019-3592: MA for Windows update addresses weak directory permissions

> Local administrators can escalate privileges or cause denial of service by manipulating directory permissions and placing malicious files in the McAfee Agent directory.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Jul 2019
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3v6v-w2x6-55vq

## What is CVE-2019-3592?

CVE-2019-3592 is a high-severity vulnerability in McAfee, LLC McAfee Agent (MA), published on 18 Jul 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Privilege escalation vulnerability in McAfee Agent (MA) before 5.6.1 HF3, allows local administrator users to potentially disable some McAfee processes by manipulating the MA directory control and placing a carefully constructed file in the MA directory.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-3592?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mcafee Agent.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-3592?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-3592 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-3592 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-3592 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in McAfee, LLC McAfee Agent (MA)

- [CVE-2018-6703](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6703/): Remote Logging functionality had a use after free vulnerability in McAfee Agent (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-1258](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-1258/): SQL injection vulnerability in McAfee Agent's ePO extension (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2022-2313](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2313/): DLL high jacking in Trellix Agent (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2021-31847](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-31847/): Improper privilege management in repair process of MA for Windows (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2022-1256](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-1256/): Improper Privilege Management in McAfee Agent for Windows (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-3592 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-3592 is a high-severity vulnerability in McAfee, LLC McAfee Agent (MA), published on 18 Jul 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-3592 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: McAfee, LLC McAfee Agent (MA). 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-2019-3592/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-3592/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-3592
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-3592
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-3592

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-3592/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.