# CVE-2022-43751: Path traversal in n/a

> An unprivileged user can execute arbitrary code with system privileges due to an uncontrolled search path element in McAfee Total Protection.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Nov 2022
- **Updated:** 29 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gmr7-jhwx-3h3j

## What is CVE-2022-43751?

CVE-2022-43751 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Nov 2022. 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

McAfee Total Protection prior to version 16.0.49 contains an uncontrolled search path element vulnerability due to the use of a variable pointing to a subdirectory that may be controllable by an unprivileged user. This may have allowed the unprivileged user to execute arbitrary code with system privileges.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-43751?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mcafee Total Protection.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-43751?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-43751 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-43751 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-43751 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2021-23874](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23874/): McAfee Total Protection (MTP) Improper Privilege Management (high 8.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-24579](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-24579/): Security feature bypass in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-23872](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23872/): Privilege Escalation vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-23891](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23891/): Privilege Escalation vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-23873](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23873/): McAfee Total Protection (MTP) privilege escalation vulnerability (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-43751 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-43751 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Nov 2022. 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-2022-43751 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-2022-43751/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-43751/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-43751
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-43751
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-43751

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-43751/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.