CVE-2008-7020: McAfee SafeBoot Device Encryption 4 build 4750 and earlier stores pre-boot authentication passwords in the...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This CVE affects legacy McAfee SafeBoot Device Encryption installations. After a user enters the pre-boot authentication password, affected builds may leave that password in the BIOS keyboard buffer. Someone with local access who can read the relevant physical memory could recover sensitive credentials. Exposure is most likely on legacy endpoints still running McAfee SafeBoot Device Encryption 4 build 4750 or earlier. Modern environments are unlikely to be affected unless old disk encryption deployments remain in service. Treat this as a legacy exposure cleanup item with potentially serious credential impact. It is not described as remotely exploitable or actively exploited, but affected encryption endpoints can undermine the protection they are meant to provide. Mitigation focus: Inventory systems using McAfee SafeBoot Device Encryption and identify exact build numbers.; Prioritize upgrade, replacement, or decommissioning for build 4750 and earlier.; Check McAfee or successor vendor guidance for supported fixes or migration paths..

Prepared

Jun 28, 2026, 10:26 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.