# CVE-2023-53973: Zillya Total Security 3.0.2367.0 Local Privilege Escalation via Quarantine Module

> Low-privileged users can escalate privileges to system level by exploiting symbolic links in the quarantine module to restore files to restricted directories.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **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:** 22 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 3 Jan 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w64x-6gx5-c298

## What is CVE-2023-53973?

CVE-2023-53973 is a high-severity vulnerability in Zillya Total Security, published on 22 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Zillya Total Security 3.0.2367.0 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows low-privileged users to copy files to unauthorized system locations using the quarantine module. Attackers can leverage symbolic link techniques to restore quarantined files to restricted directories, potentially enabling system-level access through techniques like DLL hijacking.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53973?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Zillya Total Security.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53973?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-53973 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-53973 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-53973 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-53973 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53973 is a high-severity vulnerability in Zillya Total Security, published on 22 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-53973 exists.

Affected product: Zillya Total Security. 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-2023-53973/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53973/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53973
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53973
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53973

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53973/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.