Is CVE-2020-7281 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2020-7281 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2020-7281 be exploited remotely?

No. CVE-2020-7281 requires local access to exploit.

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2020-7281?

CVE-2020-7281 has a CVSS score of 6.3 (MEDIUM).

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MEDIUM

CVE-2020-7281

CWE-269Published: July 3, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

6.3

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to 16.0.R26 allows local users to delete files the user would otherwise not have access to via manipulating symbolic links to redirect a McAfee delete action to an unintended file. This is achieved through running a malicious script or program on the target machine.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2020-7281 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), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 6.3.