HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2018-4863
MEDIUMPOC

CVE-2018-4863

CWE-254Published: April 5, 2018· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

5.5
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Sophos Endpoint Protection 10.7 allows local users to bypass an intended tamper protection mechanism by deleting the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Sophos Endpoint Defense\ registry key.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2018-4863 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in full integrity compromise (data manipulation), with a CVSS base score of 5.5.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2018-4863. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

sophos1 product(s)
endpoint protection
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

POC AVAILABLEProof-of-concept code exists
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

ADVISORYhttp://hyp3rlinx.altervista.org/advisories/SOPHOS-ENDPOINT-PROTECTION-v10.7-TAMPER-PROTECTION-BYPASS-CVE-2018-4863.txt
ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2018/Apr/6
ADVISORYhttps://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44410/
ADVISORYhttp://hyp3rlinx.altervista.org/advisories/SOPHOS-ENDPOINT-PROTECTION-v10.7-TAMPER-PROTECTION-BYPASS-CVE-2018-4863.txt
ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2018/Apr/6
ADVISORYhttps://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44410/

All References (6)

→
http://hyp3rlinx.altervista.org/advisories/SOPHOS-ENDPOINT-PROTECTION-v10.7-TAMPER-PROTECTION-BYPASS-CVE-2018-4863.txtExploit · Third Party Advisory
→
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2018/Apr/6Exploit · Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44410/Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://hyp3rlinx.altervista.org/advisories/SOPHOS-ENDPOINT-PROTECTION-v10.7-TAMPER-PROTECTION-BYPASS-CVE-2018-4863.txtExploit · Third Party Advisory
→
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2018/Apr/6Exploit · Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44410/Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2018-4863
CVSS Score5.5 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-254
CISA KEVNo
ExploitPOC
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedApr 5, 2018

Related CVEs (CWE-254)

CVE-2015-1158
10.0
CVE-2015-3972
10.0
CVE-2016-5788
10.0
CVE-2016-6957
9.8
CVE-2016-6629
9.8
CVE-2016-9865
9.8

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2018-4863 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.
← All Vulnerabilities·Search for CVE-2018-4863·NVD