# CVE-2020-7279: DLL search order hijacking in Host IPS

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary code via DLL search order hijacking in the McAfee Host IPS installer component.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N`)
- **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:** 10 Jun 2020
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p29m-rh76-2857

## What is CVE-2020-7279?

CVE-2020-7279 is a medium-severity vulnerability in McAfee, LLC McAfee Host Intrusion Prevention System (Host IPS) for Windows, published on 10 Jun 2020. 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

DLL Search Order Hijacking Vulnerability in the installer component of McAfee Host Intrusion Prevention System (Host IPS) for Windows prior to 8.0.0 Patch 15 Update allows attackers with local access to execute arbitrary code via execution from a compromised folder.

Weakness: CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-7279?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mcafee Host Intrusion Prevention.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-7279?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-7279 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-7279 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-7279 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-7279 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-7279 is a medium-severity vulnerability in McAfee, LLC McAfee Host Intrusion Prevention System (Host IPS) for Windows, published on 10 Jun 2020. 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-2020-7279 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: McAfee, LLC McAfee Host Intrusion Prevention System (Host IPS) for Windows. 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-2020-7279/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7279/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-7279
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-7279
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-7279

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7279/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.