# CVE-2022-41604: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Local attackers can escalate privileges to SYSTEM by exploiting weak directory permissions and a driver bypass in ZoneAlarm Extreme Security.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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:** 27 Sep 2022
- **Updated:** 22 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xf3m-h4qp-mpv8

## What is CVE-2022-41604?

CVE-2022-41604 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 27 Sep 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Check Point ZoneAlarm Extreme Security before 15.8.211.19229 allows local users to escalate privileges. This occurs because of weak permissions for the %PROGRAMDATA%\CheckPoint\ZoneAlarm\Data\Updates directory, and a self-protection driver bypass that allows creation of a junction directory. This can be leveraged to perform an arbitrary file move as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-41604?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Checkpoint Zonealarm.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-41604?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-41604 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-41604 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-41604 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2022-23743](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23743/): Privilege escalation in ZoneAlarm. (high 7.8)
- [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-2022-41604 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-41604 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 27 Sep 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-2022-41604 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2022-41604/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41604/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-41604
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-41604
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-41604

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41604/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.