Vulnerability-Lookup

CVE-2026-6064 (GCVE-0-2026-6064)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-10-28 10:47 – Updated: 2026-10-28 10:47

Title

Norton, Avast, and AVG local privilege escalation via link following in Data Shredder

Summary

Link following vulnerability in Data Shredder components in Norton Antivirus, Avast Antivirus, and AVG Internet Security prior to 26.5.10933 on Windows allows a local, low-privileged attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. During a privileged shred operation, enabling arbitrary file/folder deletion that is leveraged to gain NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM privelages.

Severity

7.3 (High)


                        
                          CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CWE

CWE-59 - Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

Assigner

GEN CNA under the mitre root

CNA scorecard B 76/100 over 20 records in the last 180 days details

References

1 reference

URL	Tags
https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/contact-us/secur…

Impacted products

3 products

Vendor	Product	Version	CPE status
Gen Digital	Norton Antivirus	Affected: 0 , < 26.5 (custom)	guessed
Gen Digital	Avast Antivirus	Affected: 0 , < 26.5 (custom)	guessed
Gen Digital	AVG Internet Security	Affected: 0 , < 26.5 (custom)	guessed

Credits

Anonymous working with TrendAI Zero Day Initiative

Show details on NVD website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "platforms": [
            "Windows"
          ],
          "product": "Norton Antivirus",
          "vendor": "Gen Digital",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "26.5",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "custom"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "platforms": [
            "Windows"
          ],
          "product": "Avast Antivirus",
          "vendor": "Gen Digital",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "26.5",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "custom"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "platforms": [
            "Windows"
          ],
          "product": "AVG Internet Security",
          "vendor": "Gen Digital",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "26.5",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "custom"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "credits": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "type": "reporter",
          "value": "Anonymous working with TrendAI Zero Day Initiative"
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "supportingMedia": [
            {
              "base64": false,
              "type": "text/html",
              "value": "Link following vulnerability in Data Shredder components in Norton Antivirus, Avast Antivirus, and AVG Internet Security prior to 26.5.10933 on Windows allows a local, low-privileged attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. During a privileged shred operation, enabling arbitrary file/folder deletion that is leveraged to gain NT AUTHORITY\\SYSTEM privelages."
            }
          ],
          "value": "Link following vulnerability in Data Shredder components in Norton Antivirus, Avast Antivirus, and AVG Internet Security prior to 26.5.10933 on Windows allows a local, low-privileged attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. During a privileged shred operation, enabling arbitrary file/folder deletion that is leveraged to gain NT AUTHORITY\\SYSTEM privelages."
        }
      ],
      "impacts": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "Successful exploitation allows a local, low-privileged attacker to delete arbitrary files/folders with SYSTEM integrity by substituting a reparse point (symlink/junction) for a shred target during a privileged Data Shredder operation, ultimately achieving local privilege escalation to NT AUTHORITY\\SYSTEM."
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "LOW",
            "attackVector": "LOCAL",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "baseScore": 7.3,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "format": "CVSS",
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "GENERAL"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-59",
              "description": "CWE-59: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access (\u0027Link Following\u0027)",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-10-28T10:47:51.974Z",
        "orgId": "dbd8429d-f261-4b1e-94cc-ae3132817e2e",
        "shortName": "GEN"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/contact-us/security-advisories/"
        }
      ],
      "solutions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "supportingMedia": [
            {
              "base64": false,
              "type": "text/html",
              "value": "Customers are advised to upgrade to version \u0026gt;26.5 released on or after May 2026"
            }
          ],
          "value": "Customers are advised to upgrade to version \u003e26.5 released on or after May 2026"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "discovery": "EXTERNAL"
      },
      "title": "Norton, Avast, and AVG local privilege escalation via link following in Data Shredder",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "Vulnogram 1.0.4"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "dbd8429d-f261-4b1e-94cc-ae3132817e2e",
    "assignerShortName": "GEN",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-6064",
    "datePublished": "2026-10-28T10:47:51.974Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-04-10T12:41:15.434Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-10-28T10:47:51.974Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2026-6064",
      "date": "2026-10-29",
      "epss": "0.00124",
      "percentile": "0.02127"
    },
    "nvd": {
      "cve": {
        "affected": [
          {
            "affectedData": [
              {
                "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
                "platforms": [
                  "Windows"
                ],
                "product": "Norton Antivirus",
                "vendor": "Gen Digital",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "lessThan": "26.5",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "0",
                    "versionType": "custom"
                  }
                ]
              },
              {
                "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
                "platforms": [
                  "Windows"
                ],
                "product": "Avast Antivirus",
                "vendor": "Gen Digital",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "lessThan": "26.5",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "0",
                    "versionType": "custom"
                  }
                ]
              },
              {
                "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
                "platforms": [
                  "Windows"
                ],
                "product": "AVG Internet Security",
                "vendor": "Gen Digital",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "lessThan": "26.5",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "0",
                    "versionType": "custom"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ],
            "source": "security@nortonlifelock.com"
          }
        ],
        "cveTags": [],
        "descriptions": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "Link following vulnerability in Data Shredder components in Norton Antivirus, Avast Antivirus, and AVG Internet Security prior to 26.5.10933 on Windows allows a local, low-privileged attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. During a privileged shred operation, enabling arbitrary file/folder deletion that is leveraged to gain NT AUTHORITY\\SYSTEM privelages."
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2026-6064",
        "lastModified": "2026-10-28T15:21:31.673",
        "metrics": {
          "cvssMetricV31": [
            {
              "cvssData": {
                "attackComplexity": "LOW",
                "attackVector": "LOCAL",
                "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
                "baseScore": 7.3,
                "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
                "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
                "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
                "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
                "scope": "UNCHANGED",
                "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                "version": "3.1"
              },
              "exploitabilityScore": 1.3,
              "impactScore": 5.9,
              "source": "security@nortonlifelock.com",
              "type": "Secondary"
            }
          ]
        },
        "published": "2026-10-28T11:17:26.707",
        "references": [
          {
            "source": "security@nortonlifelock.com",
            "url": "https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/contact-us/security-advisories/"
          }
        ],
        "sourceIdentifier": "security@nortonlifelock.com",
        "vulnStatus": "Awaiting Analysis",
        "weaknesses": [
          {
            "description": [
              {
                "lang": "en",
                "value": "CWE-59"
              }
            ],
            "source": "security@nortonlifelock.com",
            "type": "Secondary"
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

GHSA-5QPM-4CP9-QCH8

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-10-28 12:31 – Updated: 2026-10-28 12:31

Details

Severity

7.3 (High)


                  
                    CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Show details on source website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-6064"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-59"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-10-28T11:17:26Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "Link following vulnerability in Data Shredder components in Norton Antivirus, Avast Antivirus, and AVG Internet Security prior to 26.5.10933 on Windows allows a local, low-privileged attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. During a privileged shred operation, enabling arbitrary file/folder deletion that is leveraged to gain NT AUTHORITY\\SYSTEM privelages.",
  "id": "GHSA-5qpm-4cp9-qch8",
  "modified": "2026-10-28T12:31:00Z",
  "published": "2026-10-28T12:31:00Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-6064"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/contact-us/security-advisories"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Vulnerability timeline

Sightings and recorded dates, grouped by day · UTC

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The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base model, served locally by ML-Gateway. They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.

Related by attack behaviour

Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.

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