# CVE-2022-23743: Privilege escalation in ZoneAlarm.

> Local attackers can escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code as system via weak directory permissions during upgrades.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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:** 11 May 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gg2c-h853-78h4

## What is CVE-2022-23743?

CVE-2022-23743 is a high-severity vulnerability in ZoneAlarm., published on 11 May 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Check Point ZoneAlarm before version 15.8.200.19118 allows a local actor to escalate privileges during the upgrade process. In addition, weak permissions in the ProgramData\CheckPoint\ZoneAlarm\Data\Updates directory allow a local attacker the ability to execute an arbitrary file write, leading to execution of code as local system, in ZoneAlarm versions before v15.8.211.192119

Weakness: CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource), CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-23743?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Checkpoint Zonealarm.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-23743?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-23743 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-23743 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-23743 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in ZoneAlarm.

- [CVE-2022-41604](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41604/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-6023](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6023/): Privilege escalation in Check Point ZoneAlarm (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2018-8790](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8790/): Privilege escalation in ZoneAlarm (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2005-2932](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-2932/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2007-4216](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-4216/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-23743 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-23743 is a high-severity vulnerability in ZoneAlarm., published on 11 May 2022. 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-2022-23743 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: ZoneAlarm.. 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-2022-23743/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23743/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-23743
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23743
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-23743

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23743/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.