CVE-2020-7283
CWE-274Published: July 3, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
Privilege Escalation vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) before 16.0.R26 allows local users to create and edit files via symbolic link manipulation in a location they would otherwise not have access to. This is achieved through running a malicious script or program on the target machine.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2020-7283 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 complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 8.8.
The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (2)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-274)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2020-7283 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts