# CVE-2020-7320: Protection Mechanism Failure in ENS for Windows

> Local administrators can bypass McAfee Endpoint Security detection by stopping Microsoft services, allowing malware execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Sep 2020
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cxvc-q3cv-wf7w

## What is CVE-2020-7320?

CVE-2020-7320 is a medium-severity vulnerability in McAfee LLC Endpoint Security for Windows, published on 9 Sep 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Protection Mechanism Failure vulnerability in McAfee Endpoint Security (ENS) for Windows prior to 10.7.0 September 2020 Update allows local administrator to temporarily reduce the detection capability allowing otherwise detected malware to run via stopping certain Microsoft services.

Weakness: CWE-693 (Protection Mechanism Failure)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-7320?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mcafee Endpoint Security.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-7320?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-7320 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-7320 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-7320 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in McAfee LLC Endpoint Security for Windows

- [CVE-2020-7319](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7319/): Improper Access Control Vulnerability in ENS for Windows (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-7264](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7264/): Privilege Escalation vulnerability through symbolic links in ENS for Windows (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-7265](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7265/): Privilege Escalation vulnerability through symbolic links in ENSM (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-3582](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-3582/): McAfee Endpoint Security updates fix a privilege escalation vulnerability (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2020-7257](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7257/): Privilege Escalation vulnerability through Symbolic links in ENS (high 8.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-7320 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-7320 is a medium-severity vulnerability in McAfee LLC Endpoint Security for Windows, published on 9 Sep 2020. 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-2020-7320 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: McAfee LLC Endpoint Security 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-2020-7320/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7320/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-7320
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-7320
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-7320

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7320/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.