CVE-2021-23874VulnerabilityPublished 11/03/2021Updated 10/24/2026

CVE-2021-23874: McAfee Total Protection (MTP) Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability

Affects McAfee McAfee Total Protection (MTP)Source CISA KEV

Severity

High

No CVSS score published yet

Exploitation: Actively exploited – in CISA KEV since 11/03/2021
KEV deadline: 11/17/2021
EPSS: 1.0% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 63% of CVEs

What to do

CISA required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-23874 (opens in a new tab)

Description

CVE-2021-23874 is an improper privilege management vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) that enables a local user to escalate privileges and execute code by bypassing MTP's self-defense mechanisms. This vulnerability has been exploited in the wild, indicating active use by threat actors. No specific affected versions or patch information are provided in the available data.

Summary

McAfee Total Protection (MTP) contains a vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-23874, classified under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control). This flaw allows a local attacker to gain elevated privileges and execute arbitrary code by circumventing the product's self-defense features. The vulnerability has been confirmed as exploited in the wild, highlighting its practical risk. However, no detailed vendor advisory or patch information is available in the provided data.

Impact

A local attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges on a system running McAfee Total Protection, potentially leading to unauthorized code execution with elevated rights. This bypass of self-defense mechanisms increases the risk of system compromise. The active exploitation in the wild underscores the high risk posed by this vulnerability.

Mitigation

Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict local user access to trusted personnel only and monitor for suspicious local activity related to McAfee Total Protection components.

Weaknesses

CWE-284Improper Access Control (opens in a new tab)

What to do

Description

AnalysisAI-generated, updated 10/24/2026, 09:20:19 UTC

Weaknesses

References

Related threats