CVE-2026-27748: CWE-59 Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') in Gen Digital Inc. Avira Internet Security
Avira Internet Security contains an improper link resolution vulnerability in the Software Updater component. During the update process, a privileged service running as SYSTEM deletes a file under C:\\ProgramData without validating whether the path resolves through a symbolic link or reparse point. A local attacker can create a malicious link to redirect the delete operation to an arbitrary file, resulting in deletion of attacker-chosen files with SYSTEM privileges. This may lead to local privilege escalation, denial of service, or system integrity compromise depending on the targeted file and operating system configuration.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2026-27748 is an improper link resolution vulnerability (CWE-59) in the Software Updater component of Avira Internet Security by Gen Digital Inc. During update operations, a privileged service running as SYSTEM deletes files under C:\ProgramData without validating if the path is a symbolic link or reparse point. This allows a local attacker to create a malicious link that redirects the delete operation to arbitrary files, resulting in deletion with SYSTEM privileges. The impact can include local privilege escalation, denial of service, or system integrity compromise depending on the targeted files and OS configuration. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high severity. No official patch or vendor advisory is currently available, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported.
Potential Impact
Exploitation allows a local attacker with limited privileges to delete arbitrary files with SYSTEM-level permissions by leveraging symbolic link redirection during the update process. This can lead to local privilege escalation, denial of service by deleting critical files, or compromise of system integrity depending on which files are targeted and the operating system's configuration.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is released, restrict local user permissions to prevent creation of symbolic links or reparse points in the affected directories, and monitor for suspicious link creation activity if possible.
CVE-2026-27748: CWE-59 Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') in Gen Digital Inc. Avira Internet Security
Description
Avira Internet Security contains an improper link resolution vulnerability in the Software Updater component. During the update process, a privileged service running as SYSTEM deletes a file under C:\\ProgramData without validating whether the path resolves through a symbolic link or reparse point. A local attacker can create a malicious link to redirect the delete operation to an arbitrary file, resulting in deletion of attacker-chosen files with SYSTEM privileges. This may lead to local privilege escalation, denial of service, or system integrity compromise depending on the targeted file and operating system configuration.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-27748 is an improper link resolution vulnerability (CWE-59) in the Software Updater component of Avira Internet Security by Gen Digital Inc. During update operations, a privileged service running as SYSTEM deletes files under C:\ProgramData without validating if the path is a symbolic link or reparse point. This allows a local attacker to create a malicious link that redirects the delete operation to arbitrary files, resulting in deletion with SYSTEM privileges. The impact can include local privilege escalation, denial of service, or system integrity compromise depending on the targeted files and OS configuration. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high severity. No official patch or vendor advisory is currently available, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported.
Potential Impact
Exploitation allows a local attacker with limited privileges to delete arbitrary files with SYSTEM-level permissions by leveraging symbolic link redirection during the update process. This can lead to local privilege escalation, denial of service by deleting critical files, or compromise of system integrity depending on which files are targeted and the operating system's configuration.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is released, restrict local user permissions to prevent creation of symbolic links or reparse points in the affected directories, and monitor for suspicious link creation activity if possible.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- VulnCheck
- Date Reserved
- 2026-02-23T21:38:48.842Z
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 69a993803bbe47dd19a9529b
Added to database: 3/5/2026, 2:30:24 PM
Last enriched: 4/4/2026, 10:35:43 AM
Last updated: 4/19/2026, 9:22:01 PM
Views: 93
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