MEDIUM
CVE-2015-8986
CWE-254Published: March 14, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
5.5
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
Sandbox detection evasion vulnerability in hardware appliances in McAfee (now Intel Security) Advanced Threat Defense (MATD) 3.4.2.32 and earlier allows attackers to detect the sandbox environment, then bypass proper malware detection resulting in failure to detect a malware file (false-negative) via specially crafted malware.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2015-8986 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.
A successful exploit results in full integrity compromise (data manipulation), with a CVSS base score of 5.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Affected Vendors & Products
mcafee1 product(s)
advanced threat defense
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (2)
→
https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10096Mitigation · Vendor Advisory
→
https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10096Mitigation · Vendor Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2015-8986
CVSS Score5.5 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-254
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedMar 14, 2017
Related CVEs (CWE-254)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2015-8986 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.