# CVE-2021-23882: Improper Access Control in the ENS installer

> Local administrators can prevent installation of security files by placing crafted files, potentially bypassing security controls during clean installs.

- **Severity:** High 8.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 Feb 2021
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x6wv-qc8f-w4r2

## What is CVE-2021-23882?

CVE-2021-23882 is a high-severity vulnerability in McAfee LLC Endpoint Security (ENS) for Windows, published on 10 Feb 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Improper Access Control vulnerability in McAfee Endpoint Security (ENS) for Windows prior to 10.7.0 February 2021 Update allows local administrators to prevent the installation of some ENS files by placing carefully crafted files where ENS will be installed. This is only applicable to clean installations of ENS as the Access Control rules will prevent modification prior to up an upgrade.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-23882?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mcafee Endpoint Security.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-23882?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-23882 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-23882 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-23882 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in McAfee LLC Endpoint Security (ENS) 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-2021-23882 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-23882 is a high-severity vulnerability in McAfee LLC Endpoint Security (ENS) for Windows, published on 10 Feb 2021. 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-2021-23882 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: McAfee LLC Endpoint Security (ENS) 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-2021-23882/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23882/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-23882
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-23882
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-23882

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23882/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.