CVE-2024-34406 is a vulnerability identified in McAfee Security: Antivirus VPN for Android versions before 8.3.0. The root cause is improper exception handling when the application processes malformed deep links. Deep links are URLs that direct users to specific content within an app. If an attacker crafts a malformed deep link and sends it to a target device, the application fails to handle the exception correctly, causing it to crash. This crash leads to a denial of service condition, where the security application becomes unavailable. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.3, indicating medium severity. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires no privileges (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and affects only availability (A:N) with no impact on confidentiality or integrity. The scope remains unchanged (S:U). No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the vendor has released version 8.3.0 to address this issue. The vulnerability could be exploited remotely by sending a specially crafted deep link, potentially through phishing or other social engineering techniques, or via malicious websites or apps that trigger the link. The improper exception handling suggests a lack of robust input validation and error management in the affected component.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-34406 is a denial of service on the McAfee Security: Antivirus VPN app on Android devices. This can temporarily disable the security protections provided by the app, exposing the device to other threats. For organizations, this could mean a lapse in endpoint protection on affected mobile devices, increasing the risk of malware infections or data breaches. Although the vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or integrity, the loss of availability of a security product can indirectly lead to more severe security incidents. The ease of exploitation (no privileges or user interaction required) increases the risk, especially in environments where users might receive malicious links. The scope is limited to Android devices running the vulnerable McAfee app, so the impact is constrained to organizations and users deploying this specific product. No known active exploitation reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat.

Organizations and users should immediately update McAfee Security: Antivirus VPN for Android to version 8.3.0 or later, where this vulnerability is fixed. Until the update is applied, users should avoid clicking on unsolicited or suspicious deep links, especially those received via email, SMS, or messaging apps. Network-level protections such as URL filtering and anti-phishing controls can help block malicious deep links before they reach users. Security teams should monitor for unusual app crashes or denial of service symptoms on Android devices running McAfee products. Additionally, implementing mobile device management (MDM) policies to enforce app updates and restrict installation of untrusted applications can reduce exposure. Developers should review and improve exception handling and input validation in deep link processing to prevent similar issues in future releases.