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Vulnerability record · CVE-2022-0166 · published 19 January 2022

CVE-2022-0166: Mcafee agent uncontrolled search path element vulnerability

MMcafee · Agent

A privilege escalation vulnerability in the McAfee Agent prior to 5.7.5. McAfee Agent uses openssl.cnf during the build process to specify the OPENSSLDIR variable as a subdirectory within the installation directory. A low privilege user could have created subdirectories and executed arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges by creating the appropriate pathway to the specifically created malicious openssl.cnf file.

7.8 CVSS 3.1 High EPSS 2.9% · top 13.4% CWE-427 · Uncontrolled search path element
7.8CVSS 3.1 base score, v2 7.2
2.9%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
4References
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

A privilege escalation vulnerability in the McAfee Agent prior to 5.7.5. McAfee Agent uses openssl.cnf during the build process to specify the OPENSSLDIR variable as a subdirectory within the installation directory. A low privilege user could have created subdirectories and executed arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges by creating the appropriate pathway to the specifically created malicious openssl.cnf file.

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

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10378
https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/287178
https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10378
https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/287178

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Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2022-0166), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-27). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.